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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886747">True Colours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyncthewicked/pseuds/lyncthewicked'>lyncthewicked</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>True Colours [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Aftermath of Violence, Blood and Violence, Brutal Murder, Child Murder, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Manipulation, Murder, No Sex, Past Violence, Psychological Torture, Torture, Violence, this fic is very dark good luck soldiers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:48:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,775</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyncthewicked/pseuds/lyncthewicked</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucian Weasley wears a mask to hide his true colours.</p>
<p>{ set during in poa, gof, ootp }</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>True Colours [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2197413</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>The wall beneath his fingertips is cold and uninviting, the ancient stone of the castle scraping against his skin as he slowly drags his hand down it.</b> The hallway is dark and a chilling breeze from the cold winter night outside sweeps throughout the area, sending shivers down his spine.</p>
<p>He presses himself further into the wall and waits, listening. He's hidden in an alcove on the fifth floor, narrowly escaping being caught by Professor Snape, who is on a rampage searching for the boy he could never prove was behind the accidents occurring.</p>
<p>The wicked, vile boy hidden behind pretty smiles and white lies.</p>
<p>He wills his breathing to slow, feeling his heart thumping in his ears. He's a fantastic runner, but he's just sprinted down several staircases and several more hallways. His lungs were burning by the time he had reached his hiding spot. He'll be damned if he let that overgrown bat catch him because of his <em>breathing</em>.</p>
<p>Not even ten seconds after he had ducked into the alcove, he hears Snape's soft but quick footsteps coming down the hall.</p>
<p>A grin stretches his lips and he brings his hands to his face, squinting to peer at the drying blood staining his hands. He grabs his wand from its holster with his cleaner hand and whispers a cleaning spell, watching in rapt fascination as the blood slowly melts away into nothing, leaving clean, pale white skin behind. He quickly does the same to the bloody handprint he left on the wall.</p>
<p>He tucks the wand back into its holster and listens to the footsteps slowly fading away. </p>
<p>He waits there for a long while, ensuring Snape is long gone, he isn't stupid enough to think that Snape is above sneaking around in the darkness after young boys.</p>
<p>Snickering to himself, he peeks his head out from around the corner, scanning the corridor for any sign of the professor. His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness a long time ago, so he is able to see better than most.</p>
<p>He hides behind the wall again and waits for five more minutes. He's gone through this routine countless times and it never gets any less exhilarating each time.</p>
<p>This time, however, is a little... <em>boring</em>.</p>
<p>He needs something more exciting, he needs more <em>fun</em>.</p>
<p>Huffing quietly, he observes his surroundings once more before leaving the alcove, sinking into the darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Gryffindor common room is silent and empty when he finally returns. The room is warmed by the cozy fire and shadows dance across the ancient walls.</p>
<p>"You're back early." He hears a soft, deep voice say to him.</p>
<p>His eyes fall upon the armchair next to the fire, facing away from him. A grin stretches his lips and he walks over, dramatically falling onto the other armchair.</p>
<p>"Snape gave up so soon," He complains, swinging his legs over the arm of the chair.</p>
<p>"Hmm, maybe he's growing tired of the chase," She says idly.</p>
<p>Finally, he turns his head to peer at Vivian Vilhelmsen, his close friend. Her dark eyes are locked onto his face, her expression <em>could </em>be admiration and tenderness, but it's hard to tell.</p>
<p>"Maybe I gotta do something else to fuck with him, he's getting boring," He says, mainly to himself, chewing on his lip and thinking hard.</p>
<p>Vivian nods, watching him closely. "I trust tonight was easy, then?"</p>
<p>"A piece of cake. Getting rid of it was easy enough, didn't even come close to getting caught," his voice trails off into a sigh, his focus growing hazy, "way too easy."</p>
<p>When his eyes sharpen again and he drags his gaze back to Vivian, she is studying his hands, likely checking for any blood he may have missed. He almost snorts. He <em>never </em>misses anything. However many times he tells her he won't fuck up and get caught, she still checks every time. It's rather irritating.</p>
<p>"Well," he starts, getting up from the couch, "I'm off to bed, Vi. You need to as well, wouldn't wanna stay up too late, eh?"</p>
<p>Vivian nods and gracefully stood up, smoothing out her clothes.</p>
<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
<p>He snorts and rolls his eyes, "Don't call me that, it makes me sound old."</p>
<p>She gives him a small smile and said as she walks over to him, "Are you going to be staying with your cousins this summer?"</p>
<p>"Mhmm, mum said she wants me to get to know them better since we're 'family' and all that shit."</p>
<p>"In other words, she wants you out of the house so she can spend the holidays with Jetëmbël."</p>
<p>Jetëmbël is his mother's most recent girlfriend, an Albanian witch with a weird obsession with Muggle handcuffs. She always claims they are just 'interesting to look at.'</p>
<p>"Like she did fuck all, running off on Molly and her brothers like that. And yeah, Jetëmbël's comin' over. But she has been talking about Leona a lot in her letters, maybe she's gonna fuck her again."</p>
<p>Vivian's lips twitch into the beginnings of a smile, "Didn't Leona cheat on her with Michael?"</p>
<p>"Yeah but the whore has never be known for morals, has she? Any kind of attention and she's jumping on it."</p>
<p>"Yes, that's true," Vivian murmurs, "it has been quite a few months now since she and Jetëmbël got together."</p>
<p>He hums and wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side as they're walking up the stairs. "Exactly, sweetheart, she's a month overdue for her regularly scheduled fuck up."</p>
<p>He hears Vivian sigh and she leans into him, "What about... your father? Have you heard from him?"</p>
<p>Coming to a slow stop, he stares into an empty void as he feels Vivian tense beside him. He slowly turns to look at her, and the tall girl's posture is tense but her face is calm.</p>
<p>A wave of anger crashes through him and he shoves her back against the wall, swiftly getting right in her space and wrapping a hand around her throat.</p>
<p>"I've fucking told you to <em>never </em>speak about him, Vivian," He snarls quietly. Vivian does nothing to stop him when his hand tightened, she merely apologizes in that same soft voice she uses to calm him down when he gets like this.</p>
<p>It is maddening.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, it won't happen again."</p>
<p>His eyes narrows and a scowl twists his face, "It better not, Vivian" his face softens, "I don't wanna hurt you again, Vi, it upsets me."</p>
<p>For the first time that evening, something passes over her face. Sadness. Guilt. She's always been good at keeping her thoughts and feelings hidden.</p>
<p>"You're a mad man, Lucian Weasley."</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>"Why do you always wear that shirt, Lucian? It looks like you've just gotten out of prison," His cousin Ron asks, making himself a bowl of cereal.</b>
</p><p>"I'm embracing the uniform of my future home," He declares, patting the sleeve of his 'prison shirt.'</p><p>Hermione Granger purses her lips as he grins at her from across the table. She looks at Ron Weasley who's trying to contain to his laughter by shovelling cereal into his mouth. </p><p>"He's joking, 'Mione, don't worry, he's not going to end up in prison," Ron says after swallowing the cereal, nudging her slightly.</p><p>"Well, I think it was quite a tasteless joke," She states.</p><p>Lucian shrugs and smiles, "I think I'm funny and that's all the matters."</p><p>"I thought it was funny," Harry Potter pipes up from beside Lucian, making him grin.</p><p>He likes Harry a lot, he's one of the few people he doesn't want to throw from the top of the Astronomy Tower. He's a quiet, sass filled boy that has been through one too many tragedies. Though it is amusing to watch it all unfold.</p><p>Harry's third year is his second favourite so far, the maniac Sirius Black breaking out just to kill Harry and finish the job? It was dramatic and amusing.</p><p>He can't wait to see what will happen in his fourth year. Lucian is going into his sixth year, so he will only get to see Harry's drama first hand up until his fifth year.</p><p>He will just have to get the details from Ron, or the twins, if they haven't been expelled by then.</p><p>Lucian ruffles Harry's hair and nudges him, "Thank you, Harry, at least <em>someone </em>appreciates my jokes."</p><p>Pink dusts Harry's cheeks, something which both Lucian and Hermione notice. He pulls away, acting nonchalant and keeping the smirk off his face.</p><p>"Hey! I said I liked it too!" Ron speaks up, looking downright offended.</p><p>"I know, I know, Ronnie-kins." He pouts at him.</p><p>"Don't call me that," Ron grumbles and looks down to his cereal, grumpily shoving spoonfuls into his mouth.</p><p>Lucian is also fond of Ron, he's easy to mess with. Besides Charlie, the dragon handler of the family, Ron is his favourite cousin.</p><p>He grins and goes back to eating his bacon and egg sandwich. He doesn't know why he is sitting with them. Usually, he's sitting with Vivian and his other friends at the Ravenclaw table, but Harry <em>insisted </em>Lucian sit with them, at least for a little while. He's been doing that a lot over the year, ever since Lucian sat with him when all of his friends were ignoring him.</p><p>He glances over his shoulder at Vivian, who is already watching him. He winks at her and he turns back as a smile stretches her lips.</p><p>"Hey, uh, Lucian," Harry starts, fidgeting awkwardly as Lucian brings his attention to him, "Do you want to hang out sometime during summer? I know you're staying with the Weasley's, and I might come over one day and I was just wondering-"</p><p>"Harry, slow down," Lucian interrupts the rambling, "'Course we can hang out, you're gonna have to show me around Muggle London. You were telling me about the cinema last week, right?"</p><p>The poor boy lights up, kind of hunching over his cereal and nodding profusely, refusing to make eye contact. "Um, yeah, there's a Disney movie coming out soon."</p><p>Lucian almost feels bad for him. <em>Almost</em>.</p><p>"Well, we'll see that then. Owl me a week before it comes out, okay?"</p><p>Harry looks up at him and smiles widely, "Alright."</p><p>Lucian goes back to eating his sandwich, pointedly ignoring Hermione's stare. Once he finishes a few minutes later, he straightens and looks at the frizzy-haired girl, whose eyebrows are raised at him. She looks incredulous.</p><p>He raises an eyebrow at her, tilting his head to the side slightly as a smirk threatened to break through, "What?"</p><p>She shakes her head and begins reading her book again. He glances at the cover and almost laughs.</p><p>
  <em>Hogwarts: A History.</em>
</p><p>"Haven't you memorized that book by now?" Lucian asks, resting his chin on his hand.</p><p>Hermione only moves her eyes when she looks up at him, making her look incredibly annoyed, much to his amusement.</p><p>"Perhaps it would you do some good if you actually read it."</p><p>"Christ, 'Mione, he's doing great without it," Ron says before Lucian can reply. His eye twitches. He does not like being interrupted. "He's almost top of the class, he doesn't even need it."</p><p>"But it's important to know-"</p><p>"Right," Lucian interrupts, and as much as he wants to watch them argue, he has something important to do, "I'm going to go get Vivian, see you guys on the train."</p><p>Before any of them can respond, Lucian is quickly striding off to the Ravenclaw table.</p><p>All three of the Gryffindors stare after him, then Hermione turns her disapproving gaze on Harry, who appears somewhat nervous when he caught her eye.</p><p>"<em>Really</em>, Harry? He's much too old!"</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry says quickly, averting his gaze.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As Lucian makes his way over to Vivian, he glances over at the Head table and makes eye contact with a <em>seething </em>Snape. He allows the faintest smirk to grace his face, one only the greasy professor will be able to see.</p><p>Snape scowls and looks away, making Lucian snicker to himself.</p><p>Dramatically falling onto the bench beside Vivian, he announces to his friends, "I'm hanging out with Harry during the holidays."</p><p>Julian Keller chokes on his pumpkin juice, and he pushes his curly blonde hair out of his dark brown eyes, "<em>What</em>?! The whole holidays?!"</p><p>"No, dumbass," Jazmine Gibbs laughs, slapping him on the back, "I really doubt it's for the <em>whole </em>holidays."</p><p>"Probably like a day or two, depends on whether or not he's gonna be staying with my cousins," Lucian says, wrapping his arm around Vivian's waist, "Also, Jazzy, I really love the eyeshadow, really suits your skin."</p><p>She's gone for a yellow that day, it goes nicely with her dark complexion.</p><p>She beams and shoves Julian, making the Spanish boy choke on his drink again, "I fucking told you, you tosspot, yellow suits me!"</p><p>Once Julian stops choking, he says, "I still think pastel blue looks better."</p><p>"Well, nobody asked for your opinion."</p><p>Vivian and Lucian's eyes flick between them like they're watching a tennis match.</p><p>"You literally asked me what looked better-"</p><p>"What's your proof?"</p><p>Julian narrows his eyes at her and she smiles triumphantly, scoffing down the rest of her scrambled eggs.</p><p>"You know, you really shouldn't talk to a lady like that, Julian." A haughty voice speaks up from down the table.</p><p>All four of them look at Albert Harrington, a dark-haired, pale-skinned boy in his seventh year. He's one of those sad, lonely guys that thinks he'll get fucked if he's nice to a girl and 'saved' her from other men.</p><p>"You pronounced my name wrong," Julian says idly, studying his fingernails.</p><p>"Whatever, <em>Julian</em>."</p><p>"You don't say the J like that, it's <em>Hu-lian</em>, dumbass. It's Spanish." Jazmine speaks up before Julian can say something he would probably not regret.</p><p>The beady-eyed boy stares at Julian, studying him. "You don't look Spanish."</p><p>He rolls his eyes back so far you could only see the whites, "You don't look British."</p><p>"That doesn't make sense!"</p><p>Julian stares at him blankly, "That was the <em>point</em>."</p><p>Albert scowls, "Why not just use the English version?  You're in Scotland, not Spain. Talk like us, you dago."</p><p>Before Albert had even finished speaking Jazmine is jumping up from the table and running at him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and slamming her fist into his face.</p><p>Vivian and Lucian glance at each other. However apathetic and terrible he is, he does <em>not </em>tolerate racism. Ever. Plus, it's being directed at one of his close friends, which makes it significantly worse in his mind. </p><p>Lucian's eyes darken as he watches people try to pull Jazmine off Albert, he makes no move to intervene. Vivian studies his face carefully, eyes darting in between him and Albert. She sighs softly, resting her head on his shoulder, already coming up with the base plan in her head.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>The street they're on is quiet and calm.</b> Rows of neat, identical houses belonging to the upper-middle class are lined up on either side of the road. Every single front lawn adorns a magnificent garden, the grass is bright and freshly cut. White picket fences frame each yard, giving the neighbourhood a very picture-esque appearance.</p><p>The air is crisp but there's no wind, just the bone-rattling cold. The sky is beginning to change to a medium blue as the morning grows closer. The sun has yet to rise.</p><p>"Are you certain there won't be able anyone else home?" Vivian's soft voice breaks him from his thoughts as she comes to stand next to him.</p><p>Lucian rolls his eyes but keeps his attention on the quaint two-story house. "Well, duh, we wouldn't be here otherwise."</p><p>Vivian has been staying with him while he's been at his cousins' house. Her parents are visiting her grandparents back in Indonesia and she hadn't wanted to go, so they dumped her on the Weasley's.</p><p>Not that he minds; it makes his plan a lot easier to execute. Though it wouldn't be impossible, he just doesn't want to have to put in that much effort for Vivian.</p><p>She hums in reply, turning to face the house again, stepping into the small stream of water going down into the gutter.</p><p>"Remember, we only have thirty minutes. Don't get... too carried away." She reminds him, folding her hands behind her back. Her wand isn't anywhere in sight, but Lucian knows she's quick enough to pull it out and fire the warning signal should anything go wrong on her end.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I know." Lucian starts off towards the house, only turning back to give Vivian a too-wide smile and a thumbs up once he reaches the door. She gives him a reserved smile in return, nodding.</p><p>He whips his wand out, pointing it at the door and muttering, "Alohomora."</p><p>The soft click makes him smile and he quietly pushes it open and steps inside, closing it behind him. He pauses in the entrance hall, scanning the small hallway lined with doors leading to different rooms. The walls are covered in a strange amount of family photographs, a tradition his mother never followed. At the end of a hallway is a staircase leading up onto the second floor.</p><p>The house is silent, which isn't surprising. He takes a step forward and the floor creaks loudly. He stares at it, thinking for a second before shrugging.</p><p>It'll be fine.</p><p>Lucian starts whistling a cheerful tune, skipping down the hallway. He isn't fussed about remaining quiet anymore. He can already hear the scolding he's going to receive from Vivian.</p><p>He knows his target is upstairs, but there's no harm in exploring a bit. Stopping in front of a random door, he flings it open and it bounces off the wall.</p><p>He stops short and finds something he wasn't expecting in the slightest.</p><p>A little girl.</p><p>She appears to be around five or six years old, with big, round brown eyes and chubby pink cheeks. Her fair hair is tied into two pigtails. She's in some kind of Disney princess pyjamas, he vaguely remembers Harry mentioning a Princess named Cinderella.</p><p>She is somewhat hidden behind the leg of the dining room table, watching him with large, teary eyes. She's clutching a brown teddy bear in her small, trembling hands.</p><p>"Oh!" He blurts out in surprise, "<em>that's </em>unexpected."</p><p>She stays silent, looking quite fearful but curious. Quite typical for a child. Young enough to approach a stranger but old enough to recognize danger to some degree.</p><p>"Danielle?" A voice calls from upstairs and both of them look upwards.</p><p>Lucian smiles, looking back at Danielle who's still staring at the roof.</p><p>"Well," He muses, pulling out his wand, "two birds with one stone, I suppose."</p><p>Then without warning, Danielle throws her teddy bear with a surprising amount of force at his face, catching him off guard long enough for her to sprint by him and down the hallway and out the front door.</p><p>He stands there for several seconds, just smiling. Danielle won't get far.</p><p>Then comes the brief, high and childish scream that is quickly cut off.</p><p>He sighs and rolls his neck, stretching his muscles as he listens to the pounding footsteps that run across the roof.</p><p>Lucian picks up the teddy bear and casually looks around the dining room, spotting the kitchen off on the far side of the large, open room. He skips over and begins opening drawers, going through the utensils.</p><p>"Ah!" He says, delighted, pulling out a large steak knife, "Gotcha."</p><p>He cheerfully skips back over to the door as the footsteps are now pounding down the stairs. He tucks the knife into the waistband of his pants and leans against the wall, waiting.</p><p>Within seconds the door is slammed open and Albert Harrington runs into the room, panicked. He looks around quickly and then his gaze falls upon Lucian, leaning against the wall with a wide grin.</p><p>"W-Weasley? What are you doing here?!" His wide eyes flick down to the teddy bear still in Lucian's hand and all colour drains from his face. His lower lip trembles as he searches for the words to say.</p><p>Lucian lets him think for a while.</p><p>"D-Dani..." He whispers, a series of emotions passing over his face, then rage settles in, hands clenching into tight, shaking fists. "What have you done to her!?"</p><p>Lucian's smile spreads impossibly wide and he pushes himself away from the wall.</p><p>"Oh, <em>I</em> haven't done anything," He says, watching Albert tense as he steps closer, leaving maybe two meters of space between them.</p><p>"What-"</p><p>"Here," Lucian smiles in a disarmingly comforting way, holding out the teddy bear, "I'll take you to her."</p><p>Albert looks upset and confused, the anger still simmering beneath the surface. Lucian almost laughs at his stupidity as he steps towards him, reaching out to grab the teddy bear.</p><p>In mere seconds, Lucian drops the teddy bear and snatched Albert's arm in an iron grip, brings the side of his hip up firmly against Albert's body before twisting and throwing him down on the cold tiles. Lucian hisses when he feels the knife slice along his thigh during the action and the blood soaks his pants, running down his leg. </p><p>Before Albert even has the time to breathe Lucian is straddling his waist and pinning his wrists down, digging his nails into the sensitive skin until blood is trickling down onto the tiles.</p><p>Albert cries out and thrashes as his nails dig deeper, tearing into the skin. Lucian grins and watches with hungry eyes as he cries and struggles to break free, but the thrashing only causes more damage. So, really, it's not <em>his</em> fault.</p><p>Lucian briefly wishes his nails had torn into the flesh on the inside of his arm, where the veins are. Ah well, he supposes it means he has more time to play with Albert. His <em>newest </em>toy.</p><p>He finally lets go of his wrists, and Albert lays there panting for several seconds as his mind tries to process the pain it just went through.</p><p>Lucian tilts his head to the side and licks the blood from his fingers, grinning as disgust flashes over Albert's face.</p><p>"You're a disgusting freak, Weasley," Albert sneers, clearly trying to sound threatening but failing miserably. Some people just <em>can't </em>be threatening or intimidating. Raising his eyebrows, he stares at him curiously for a few seconds.</p><p>In a flash, Lucian grabs his wrist and yanks it towards his face, dramatically licking the wound, tangy blood filling his mouth. Albert shouts in pain and blindly hits him in any place he can with his free hand.</p><p>Lucian laughs at his attempts and grabs the offending hand, pinning both on the tiles speckled with blood.</p><p>"Why are you doing this!? Why are you here!?" Albert cries, the anger draining away, leaving a shaking ball of sadness behind.</p><p>Lucian rolls his eyes. "<em>Wow</em>, what a cliché. Can't you come up with anything better than that?" When Albert doesn't respond, he keeps going, "I suppose I can tell you. Long story short, I <em>really</em> fucking hate racists."</p><p>Albert stares at him in shock and confusion, "That's why you're here!?"</p><p>"Oh, somewhat. I'm here because I'm gonna kill you," He says cheerfully, sighing happily when tears start falling from Albert's eyes again.</p><p>"At least tell me what you did to Danielle..." He chokes out, and Lucian's smile twists into a frown. Albert is so... <em>boring</em>. He's giving up so soon and Lucian hasn't even pulled out the knife yet.</p><p>Both him and Snape are boring him to death. Maybe he should kill Snape.</p><p>"Not yet," Lucian mutters, grabbing both wrists in one hand and pinning them above his head so he can pull out the knife, which has been slowly digging into his thigh the entire time, "You'll know soon enough."</p><p>"You won't- oh." Albert stops short upon seeing the knife, and he weakly tries pulling his arms free, but he quickly gives up and just begins crying harder.</p><p>"I don't want to die," He sobs, shaking his head.</p><p>Lucian usually loves it when people cry, it's always so pretty, but something about Albert crying just annoys him.</p><p>He bet Harry looks pretty when he cries</p><p>Lucian pauses, blinking. Where did <em>that </em>come from? He shakes the thought away, deciding to fantasize over that particular thought another time.</p><p>He drags the knife down the front of Albert's shirt, pleased to see the knife is sharp enough to easily slice the shirt without too much pressure. Kitchen knives are often blunt from frequent use.</p><p>Albert's pale, freckly skin is exposed once he finishes cutting the shirt in half. No scars or blemishes. A blank canvas for Lucian to carve his anger into.</p><p>He presses the tip of the knife against Albert's skin, just above his heart, spinning it in a circle.</p><p>"T-They'll know it's you," Albert tries, looking ready to start begging for his life. Oh, Lucian hopes he does.</p><p>"Sure they won't. I've got this all planned out. Remember Miles? Your big brother you and your pretty little Pureblood family abandoned in a Muggle loony bin? Well, he oh so coincidentally broke out last night."</p><p>Albert pales and he's shaking terribly, "You broke <em>him</em> out? How did you even know about Miles-"</p><p>"A pretty little bird told me she has her sources."</p><p>He adores Vivian.</p><p>"But-"</p><p>Lucian digs the knife in deeper until it pierces the skin and a bead of blood appears under the knife.</p><p>"As much as I <em>love</em> talking to you, I promised I wouldn't get carried away and we only have five minutes left." He pouts at the terrified man beneath him before collapsing into a fit of laughter.</p><p>"Usually I'd ask how you wanna go, but you don't deserve that liberty."</p><p>"Wait, no, please-"</p><p>"See ya," Lucian laughs and quickly slashes his knife across Albert's throat. A spray of warm blood soaks him and he sighs happily, leaning back and dropping the knife against the tiles. The choking, gargling sound quickly dies down and he's left in silence. He should have worn gloves, but he couldn't resist getting his hands dirty this time.</p><p>He licks the blood from his lips and stares at Albert's face, still stuck in a scream, his last moments forever frozen in time. His eyes are still open, empty and dull.</p><p>Lucian hums thoughtfully. Aurors will still be able to see into his memories through his eyes.</p><p>He grins, grabs his knife and drives it into Albert's left eye, roughly twisting the knife. He rips the knife out and repeats the action on his other eye.</p><p>Once he pulls back, his eye sockets are a bloody mess with no sign of the eyeballs. The Aurors are sheltered idiots, they aren't accustomed to Muggle methods of murder. They wouldn't dare try to salvage this mess.</p><p>Satisfied, he stands up from the cooling body and drops the knife on his chest. He swiftly leaves the room and the walk to the front door is a blur. He's still riding the high of another killing.</p><p>Without even thinking, he rips open the front door and spots Vivian standing in the exact same place he left her. If she's disgusted or horrified by the blood, she doesn't let it show and merely lifts an eyebrow as the blood soaked killer skips towards her cheerfully, whistling as he does so.</p><p>"I think I should start collecting the blood and bathing in it," He announces once he reaches her.</p><p>She hums in agreement and pulls out her wand, pointing it at him and murmuring an incantation that causes the blood to slowly sink into his skin. It's a peculiar feeling and Lucian watches it with wonder.</p><p>Once it's all gone, he asks, "What was that?"</p><p>"Saves sending the blood to a random place in an Albanian forest."</p><p>"You'll have to teach me that spell, that feeling was <em>wonderful</em>."</p><p>She raises an eyebrow as he does an exaggerated, theatrical shiver. "I am not helping you discover more peculiar kinks."</p><p>Her eyes flick down to his leg as blood starts soaking his pant leg again.</p><p>"What did you do to yourself?" She asks.</p><p>"Oh, I accidentally cut myself with a knife, it's fine, baby." He gives her a toothy smile and sighs dramatically as she heals the cut and repeats the spell she said earlier, and Lucian commits it to memory.</p><p>"What'd you do with the kid?" Lucian asks with a smile, excited to hear all the gory details.</p><p>Vivian's eyes trail down to the gutter, watching the water disappear, her accent was thick as she murmurs, "She has been dealt with," Lucian shivers, grin growing wider, "But you have somewhere to be, do you not?"</p><p>Lucian's eyes light up and the grin turns dangerous.</p><p>"I've got a date with <em>pretty little Harry</em>."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>The Gibbs household is a thing of beauty.</b> Not because it's large and extravagant, no, it's rather small and modest. The family of four ensure their home is exactly that; a home.</p><p>Years of history are etched into the walls of the small, beautiful villa, family portraits adorn the mahogany coloured walls, ranging back to over a hundred years. Some of the walls have small drawings or scratches or dents or some kind of imperfection to say that <em>someone was there</em>.</p><p>The house is always filled with laughter and happiness and warmth and the smell of cookie dough and vanilla.</p><p>It has a welcoming aura to it that makes everyone who enters feel comfortable and safe and right at home. It is wonderful.</p><p>The people living there are no less welcoming. Alexandra and Mahin Gibbs are the parents every child wanted. Loving, warm, accepting, kind, laid-back. They welcome everyone into their home with open arms, even if it's a stranger. They treat everyone with kindness.</p><p>Despite the tragedies the family has experienced, they remain strong and positive, lifting each other up.</p><p>Julian adores visiting Jazzy's family.</p><p>Alexandra, with her soft brown eyes and frizzy black hair and beautiful dark complexion, had smiled warmly at him when he arrived and drawn him into her open arms, smothering him with what could be only described as a mothers embrace. Something Julian had never experienced before he met Alexandra Gibbs.</p><p>Mahin's hug was tight and warm and comforting, the only familiar family related thing he had experienced, though his own father's hugs were cold and loveless. Mahin's eyes were an icy blue (he wore coloured contacts often), a stark contrast against his wife's, and his hair was wavy and dyed dirty blonde, and his skin was sun-kissed, though still slightly burned from their most recent holiday.</p><p>They took him inside and Julian hadn't even been given the chance to breathe in the smell of cookie dough before Jazzy's eleven-year-old brother Kaden was screeching happily and almost tackling him to the floor. He gets along especially well with him.</p><p>After that, Jazzy had drawn him into her infamous bear hug and planted a kiss on his cheek before dragging him to the dining room and demanding he sit beside her.</p><p>"No, I wanna sit next to Julian!" Kaden had complained, then the argument between him and Jazzy started. It had been quickly shut down by a smiling Mahin, who claimed that Julian would be sitting between him and Alexandra.</p><p>Soon enough the family was seated and before they dug into their delicious-looking roast, they all had a turn saying their prayers. Julian wasn't religious but Jazzy and her family were so he always went along with it.</p><p>The parents thanked God for their meal, for their family, for Julian (which made him blush), and for their lives.</p><p>It was Kaden's prayer that had everyone pause.</p><p>"Lord and Father, thank you for this meal, it looks pretty great," The family share amused smiles, "But I wanna thank you for my sister Jaz, thank you for letting us keep her. Amen."</p><p>The table is silent. Jazzy presses her lips together as if in an effort to not cry and brings her gaze down at her plate. Julian's heart clenches and he wishes he could grab her hand and comfort her.</p><p>Alexandra breaks the silence, giving Kaden a shaky smile, the poor innocent kid had no idea what emotions and memories he had just brought to the surface. "Thank you, dear. Now, let's eat."</p><p>Kaden grins happily and quickly digs into his food, the rest of the family slowly following suit.</p><p>Naturally, Kaden was the first person to speak up, the little chatterbox he was, "Jaz, have you taken your estrogen thingy?"</p><p>Jazzy snorts, "Yeah, Kades, I've taken my estrogen thingy. Why's that?"</p><p>"Oh," He smiles sheepishly, "I almost forgot and I didn't want you to forget either."</p><p>"I reminded her this morning, Kaden, you don't need to worry," Mahin reassures, reaching over the table to ruffle Kaden's curly black hair, who shouts in protest and slaps his hand away with a large, toothy grin.</p><p>Julian smiles to himself and keeps eating, just watching the family interacting. It was entertaining and heartwarming. Jazzy had been going through hormone therapy for the past two years, and he was glad to see that she's been happier because of it. He was so relieved that her family was completely accepting of who she was.</p><p>Julian only wishes Hogwarts was as accepting.</p><p>"So, Julian," Alexandra begins, "Jaz tells me you're graduating this year."</p><p>"Yeah, I am," He grins, "<em>Finally</em>."</p><p>"What are you going to miss most about, uh, Hogwash-"</p><p>"<em>Hogwarts</em>, mum," Jazzy corrects her.</p><p>Alexandra sticks her tongue out at Jazzy, who does it back, "Right, Hogwarts."</p><p>Julian smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck, "I'm gonna miss Lucian the most."</p><p>Jazzy snorts and takes a sip of her drink, pointedly starring at the table with a small smirk and he throws her a glare.</p><p>"Oh, I bet, he's such a charming, lovely boy," Mahin says.</p><p>"I would've thought you'd miss me the most but alright I guess," Jazzy jokes.</p><p>"Jazzy, we're moving in together!"</p><p>"Still!"</p><p>"<em>I</em> know why he's gonna miss Lucian the most," Kaden says triumphantly with a small, cheeky smirk.</p><p>"Don't you dare-" He's cut off.</p><p>Mahin perks up, quickly swallowing his food, "Oh! I forgot to mention. Your cousins want you two to stay with them for a few weeks before school starts up again."</p><p>Jazzy and Kaden immediately start groaning and Julian chuckles.</p><p>"But <em>dad</em>-"</p><p>"No buts. They're your family and you need to talk to them more." Mahin says as sternly as he can, which isn't much.</p><p>"But it's so hot in the Philippines! Why can't we visit mum's side of the family?" Kaden complained, falling back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest with a pout.</p><p>"Have you ever heard of air conditioners?" Alexandra laughed, attempting to tie her mane of frizzy curls into a ponytail, "Besides, my family is on holiday in Africa."</p><p>"How can you be on vacation in your own country-"</p><p>"But theirs is always broken," Jazzy interrupts, looking between her parents with a grumpy pout, "Portia, the tosspot, never gets it fixed."</p><p>"Your cousin can't afford to fix it every time it breaks, Jaz," Mahin says, trying and failing to keep the smile off his face, "Maybe you should buy one for them. Also, if you look on the bright side, you're gonna get to see Zarah."</p><p>Jazzy blushes furiously and laughs loudly, ignoring the last comment, "Yeah right! As if she can't get her sugar da-" Jazzy slaps a hand over her mouth as her eyes widen and Julian chokes on his drink.</p><p>The table falls silent for several moments as Mahin buries his head in his hands. Then Alexandra lets out a sharp, shocked burst of laughter.</p><p>"Well that explains the designer handbags!"</p><p>-------------------</p><p>Later Julian and Jazzy are up in room, setting up her Queen sized bed. Her family was wealthy, even though neither of her parents worked, which Julian always found odd but he never questioned it.</p><p>Once the bed is made, they collapse onto the fluffy navy blue covers and stare up at the roof, which had been painted to look like the night sky. It was eerily beautiful. Julian remembers the day he came to visit and was surprised to find Luna Lovegood standing on a ladder and painting the roof while Jazzy lay on her bed and gushed over Luna's skills.</p><p>He hadn't even known Jazzy was friends with Luna, but after that, he paid more attention and discovered she was friends with some very unlikely people.</p><p>Jazzy had formed a very special, loving bond with Luna after she returned to school from St. Mungos. They understood each other in a way Julian could never comprehend. He supposes he has things in common with Luna, the whole mother situation, but he was never able to get along with her that well. They were too different. He did like her though, and they always came to each other's defence when one was getting harassed by bullies.</p><p>Jazzy had tried to befriend Draco Malfoy but that ended horribly, a disaster which included the word 'mudblood' and fists being thrown. Plus a small accident that landed Draco in the Hospital Wing and left Julian with the sneaking suspicion Lucian had something to do with it.</p><p>He turns to look at Jazzy, who's staring up at her roof with a distant look in her dark eyes. She folds her hands on her stomach and purses her lips.</p><p>It was rare to see her without a smile so, naturally, he was concerned.</p><p>His eyes dart down to her wrists before going back to her face.</p><p>"Is it bad tonight?" He whispers.</p><p>"Hm?" She looks at him and laughs nervously, "Oh, uh, nah."</p><p>"Jazzy..."</p><p>"I promise, Juli, it's not that bad right now."</p><p>Julian hums and grabs one of her hands, interlocking their fingers, "I'm glad."</p><p>Jazzy sighs softly and moves to lay her head on his chest, resting their interlocked hands on his stomach.</p><p>"I'd tell you if it was getting bad again."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>------------------</p><p>"Jazzy! Julian!" The door slams open and an excitable Kaden races in, frantically waving an envelope in the air, still half asleep Jazzy groans and throws her pillow in his direction but Kaden laughs and ducks before it can hit him.</p><p>"Fuck off!"</p><p>Kaden throws it back at her but it hits Julian right in the face as he tries to sit up, he gets knocked back by the surprising force behind the throw and just groans unhappily, pulling the covers over his head.</p><p>The room is silent for a few moments as Kaden stares at the two lumps under the blankets, thinking. Then a cheeky smile appears on his face.</p><p>"Lucian and Vivi are here!"</p><p>At the same time, Jazzy and Julian scream and throw the covers off, wide awake as they scramble off the bed and race past a smirking, triumphant Kaden.</p><p>Alexandra almost gets bowled over as the two excitable teens race past her and down the stairs as she's on her way to wake them up. She stares after them, bewildered, as Kaden comes to stand next to her.</p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>"I told them Lucian and Vivian were here," He grins wickedly.</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"<b><em>KADEN YOU LITTLE SHIT</em></b>!" Jazzy yells from downstairs.</p><p>Kaden yelps and hides behind Alexandra as Jazzy storms back upstairs with a promise of pain in her fiery eyes. Julian follows after her, looking confused and lost, like a sad puppy.</p><p>"Once I get my hands on you, you little gutter goblin, I swear to everything holy, I'm gonna-"</p><p>"Wait, wait!" Kaden calls out, gripping onto his mother's shirt, who was just standing there bewildered but amused, "I said that to get you up because you take forever but do I have a letter from them!"</p><p>Julian steps past a still angry Jazzy and grabs the letter from Kaden's hands, smiling and thanking him.</p><p>He excitedly rips it open and walks back over to Jazzy, beginning to read the letter aloud.</p><p>"<b><em>Dear friends,</em></b></p><p>
  <b>First things first, I, Lucian, am writing in black and Vi's writing in red, for some reason.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>I like red.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>Yeah, yeah, reds great and all but it's got nothing on blue. ANYWAYS. We're writing because we miss you bitches so we wanted to send a letter, we're still working out how to use a telephone but we'll get there eventually. Plus, I'm gonna be seeing Harry tomorrow SO I'll be able to pester him about it.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>I'm still immensely concerned about this meeting.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>Poor little Vivi thinks I'm gonna steal Harry's heart with my seductive, tempting ways. How do I tell her I'm into men who'll pay me?</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Lucian, no.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>Look at this guys, she's always ruining my fun and not appreciating my jokes.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Anyways, please respond soon because I'm bored. Love you guys.</em>
</p><p>
  <b>Stay safe and look after yourselves, give a kiss to the little one from us.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Love from,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Vivian </em>
  <b>and Harry's older secret boyfriend.</b>
</p><p><em>Vivian and Lucian</em>."</p><p>'Vivian and Harry's older secret boyfriend' was crossed out with red, which made Jazzy and Julian laugh.</p><p>"I love these idiots," Jazzy grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her room, "C'mon, we have to send one back. Hopefully Harry can teach them how to use a phone, letter's take far too long."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>On his way to where he was meeting Harry at the theatre, he's granted time to think about his 'bad habit' as Vivian described it, as he often he did after he killed someone.</b> He always took the time to think about himself and reflect on the murder, thinking about what he could have done better, how he wished it were longer. He always wished they lasted longer, but Vivian always set such tight schedules.</p><p>He supposes he should be thankful for it; he probably would have gotten caught by now if it weren't for Vivian. He chuckled to himself. He did have a habit of getting carried away, Vivian was, at least, right about that.</p><p>Rolling his eyes, he almost scoffs to himself. He wouldn't have gotten caught. No way. He's been doing this for years.</p><p>With the help of Vivian.</p><p>He shook the thought away and went back to his original train of thought. Murder. Right.</p><p>He used to look for guilt or shame after he took yet another life.</p><p>He never found either.</p><p>He only felt... satisfied. Some dark, twisted thing inside him was satiated.</p><p>But that feeling only ever lasted so long, soon that <em>hunger </em>would return and it would keep building and building until Lucian did something about it. It's not like he ever tried to resist it, it was often just the circumstances he was in that prevented his killings.</p><p>Lucian whistles a jarringly cheerful tune as he skips down the footpath of a busy London street, he could see the theatre ahead.</p><p>It felt like yesterday that he'd taken his first life. Back when his fascination, his obsessionwith murder had fully taken root deep inside him.</p><p>His heart does a funny little skip and his breath hitches at the memory; he was only ten years old when it happened. The dark, hungry thing inside him was desperate for <em>something</em>. He never knew what it was. Not until he killed someone. He doesn't regret it.</p><p>He'd hit a pregnant woman in the stomach repeatedly with his baseball bat until she was screaming and crying and begging him to stop. It was a beautiful, bloody mess. He later found out she survived but the baby had died. He just wanted to see if the swollen belly would <em>pop </em>if he hit it hard enough.</p><p>Obviously, he was a stupid kid.</p><p>He couldn't even remember the woman's name. He wasn't sure if he ever knew it. But he remembers the pain and fear etched onto her ashen, tear-stained face as he brought his bat down on her unborn child repeatedly. The tears had him falling into a fit of laughter.</p><p>Blood rushes through his veins and his heart races. He remembers the way the woman had curled into the fetal position, clutching at her stomach and sobbing in pain and grief and fear. Fear that she was going to die, fear that this child had just killed her baby.</p><p>It was <em>wonderful</em>.</p><p>For some unknown reason, she had blamed it on her abusive husband and the man, already having been arrested for battery and assault, was taken in without too much questioning.</p><p>It was odd, but it wasn't like he was about to go questioning it.</p><p>Lucian had thought it was fate. It all fell together so perfectly. Like pieces of a puzzle. Everything worked out just fine, after all; a disgusting, horrid man (Lucian always thought abusers were boring and useless, plus they always get caught.) was put behind bars and the woman didn't <em>selfishly </em>bring a baby into an abusive environment, and young Lucian got to live out his childhood happy and carefree.</p><p>He supposed that dark hunger inside him and the thrill of his first kill, the thrill of not getting caught is what spurred him on; what brought him to his next kill.</p><p>Then began his long, long list.</p><p>Would that make him a serial killer? He hums thoughtfully to himself, tucking that thought away to ponder over later.</p><p>His phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it away, staring at the wretched thing with narrowed eyes. He flips it open and holds it close to his face, staring intensely at the tiny screen.</p><p>It was a text message from Vivian.</p><p>'<em>They found her body. Some professors were in the room when it appeared</em>.'</p><p>Lucian smiles wide enough to show an alarming amount of teeth and tucks the phone back into his pocket, feeling laughter bubbling up in his throat. He slows to a stop and he leans on the cold brick wall of the theatre, resting his head back on the bricks, crossing his arms over his chest and closes his eyes.</p><p>He knew who Vivian was talking about. Damara Haluza. A bitter, prejudiced girl from Hufflepuff who loathed all things different. She had been caught by Peeves making vile, disgusting transphobic remarks to Jazmine.</p><p>Perhaps Lucian had... lost his temper, a small bit. He found her doing her Prefect duties late at night and had dragged her by the hair into an empty classroom and beat her to death, gouging out her eyes afterwards, as he always did. Snape had heard her screaming and come running, eager to catch Lucian in the act but also concerned for the safety of his students.</p><p>Turns out transfiguration spells wear off after a while. He'd transfigured her body into a stone and sprinted from the room, thus beginning his boring little chase with Snape.</p><p>He slaps a hand over his mouth to stop the maniacal cackles from escaping. He could just <em>imagine </em>what it would've been like for the professors. They would be merely talking, presumably in a meeting of some sorts, when her bloody, mangled body would appear before them.</p><p>Oh, he hopes someone cried or threw up.</p><p>He snaps out of the messy trail of thoughts before his deranged mind became visible on his face and glances around, scanning the crowd for Harry. He was a little early for his date with Harry, which annoyed him because he could have had more time to play with Albert. However, any hint of annoyance was washed away when he caught sight of the small boy trying to get through the crowd, awkwardly apologizing when he knocked into someone.</p><p>Lucian smiles and just watches him struggle, enjoying the stress and discomfort on his pretty, pale face.</p><p>He takes in the ratty, oversized clothes and raises an eyebrow.</p><p><em>Absolutely not</em>. Lucian was taking him shopping after the movie.</p><p>He tilts his head to the side, narrowing his eyes slightly. They looked like hand-me-downs. Lucian has never really seen him in anything but his school uniform, so he supposes it's understandable he was surprised. Lucian, as a Weasley, was quite familiar with hand-me-downs. Not that he needed them, per se. He had to admit, he was far more well-off than his cousins; his mother, Genevieve, had a well-paying job in the Ministry as an assistant for the Minister. She wasn't exactly skilled in her position, but she was able to talk her way through countless promotions.</p><p>So, Lucian didn't need hand-me-downs, he just didn't care all too much for fashion.</p><p>But Harry's clothes were just <em>ridiculous</em>. He eyes the worn-out shoes with several holes, they looked like they were trip away from falling apart.</p><p>He thinks about his cousin's clothes, they mostly all fit them, and if they didn't they were just adjusted with magic, but Harry's clothes looked to be about six sizes too big.</p><p>Did his so called family not look after him?</p><p>Lucian chews on his lip thoughtfully. He would have to look into that.</p><p>Finally, Harry catches his eye through the slowly dispersing crowd. Harry's face lights up and an endearingly large smile stretches his lips.</p><p>Lucian's heart does an entirely unnecessary lurch in his chest.</p><p>'<em>He's thirteen, Lucian</em>.' Vivian's soft, slightly concerned voice echoes in the back of his mind.</p><p>'<em>So what? He's almost fourteen</em>.' He'd said back. Though he was pretty sure Harry had turned fourteen by that point. He really did need to try harder when remembering birthdays.</p><p>'<em>And you're almost sixteen</em>.'</p><p>Harry runs a hand through his messy black hair as he reaches him and Lucian has the sudden urge to run his fingers through Harry's hair to see if it was softer than it looked. He curbs that urge and shoves his hands into his pockets, Vivian's voice, annoyingly, still echoing in his mind.</p><p>"Hey you," Lucian greets with a charming smile, "Ready for the movie?"</p><p>Harry nods, not making eye contact, "How're you?"</p><p>"Fantastic, honestly," He wasn't lying, murder always lifted his spirits, "what about you?"</p><p>"I'm alright. It's nice to get out and talk to people," Harry mutters as he goes through his pockets to find something. He eventually pulls out some Muggle money. Harry goes to hand it to him.</p><p>He raises an eyebrow at it.</p><p>"I've been saving up all since school got out," Harry mumbles, a blush rising on his cheeks.</p><p>Lucian snorts, covering his hand and pushing it back towards him, "I've got it, Harry. Spend it on yourself."</p><p>Harry's head snaps up and he frowns at him, "No, it's okay, I want to pay."</p><p>With a sweet smile, he nods and mentally writes a note to remind himself to slip double the amount of money into Harry's pocket during the movie.</p><p>"What movie are we seeing?" Lucian asks as they walk into the theatre. Instantly, the smell of popcorn floods his nostrils and he scrunches his nose up. He doesn't like popcorn.</p><p>"The Nightmare Before Christmas," Harry explains, keeping his gaze averted as they step into the short queue.</p><p>He really doesn't like making eye contact, Lucian notes. He wonders why. He also notes that Harry seems to flinch a lot and apologizes quite often. He trails his gaze down Harry's clothes and his brows furrow slightly, wondering if it has anything to do with his family. It would make sense, if they weren't treating him well.</p><p>Some dark, possessive thing twists in his stomach at the thought of anyone hurting Harry. He blinks at the sudden, unfamiliar sensation. It seems he has many things to ponder over later. He subconsciously moves closer to Harry.</p><p>"Nice, sounds scary," Lucian says with a smile, "Also, how about this, you pay for the tickets, and I'll pay for the snacks."</p><p>Harry frowns but doesn't immediately reject his idea, eventually he gives in and sighs, "Fine, alright."</p><p>"Awh, Harry, don't get all grumpy on me," Lucian laughs, wrapping his arm around his shoulders and pulling him into his side.</p><p>Harry seems to freeze for several seconds before gathering his bearings, shifting nervously and keeping his gaze fixated on the carpeted ground, pink dusting his cheeks.</p><p>He was rather adorable.</p><p>Once they had ordered their tickets, Harry leads him down a pretty, muted red corridor lined with doors spaced out a fair ways apart from each other.</p><p>"Have you ever been to the theatre before?" Harry asks as he holds open the door for Lucian.</p><p>"Nope, this is my first time. Bet it'll be quite the experience, aye?" He grins and Harry nods.</p><p>"I think you'll like it."</p><p>"Well, you suggested it, so obviously I will."</p><p>Harry's blush deepens and he mutters something incomprehensible, walking slightly faster. Lucian laughs and speeds up to keep pace with him.</p><p>---------------</p><p>Just before the movie ends, and Harry is completely enraptured by the film, Lucian slips money into his pocket and is pleased to note that Harry doesn't notice anything, too caught up in the action.</p><p>Lucian hadn't really been paying attention to the movie, he just couldn't look away from Harry. His reactions and secret smiles Lucian was sure no one else got to see made his heart skip a beat. He watched the way his face and smile would light up in certain moments. He watched how his vibrant, shocking green eyes would sparkle with amusment. He admired the crinkles that would appear by his eyes when he smiled wide enough.</p><p>When the movie finally ends, Harry turns to look at him with a huge smile that Lucian immediately commits to memory.</p><p>"That was amazing," Harry says, smile slowly twisting into the one everyone else saw. Lucian doesn't like that. He wants to be the one Harry gives those secret smiles to.</p><p>"Yeah," He breathes, staring at him, "it sure was."</p><p>Harry nods and stands up clutching his popcorn box to his chest, "Ready to go?"</p><p>Lucian hums and stands up, grabbing his bottle of coke and Harry's empty water bottle. "I know we agreed to go to that park, but I feel like a little shopping spree is in order, don'tcha think?"</p><p>Harry blinks at him as they start walking down the aisles, "Why're we going shopping?"</p><p>"Your clothes, Harry, are offending me," He chuckles and throws the empty bottle in the bin as they pass it on their way out of the theatre.</p><p>Harry looks down at his clothes, frowning before looking away. He grumbles, "S'not like I <em>wanted </em>them."</p><p>"Well, I would hope not," Lucian quickly adds upon seeing Harry's glowering look, "Was it your family?"</p><p>Harry's upset look transforms into one of confusion, "They're hand-me-downs from my cousin Dudley."</p><p>Lucian raises his eyebrows at him as they walk down the footpath, "How old is Dudley?"</p><p>"We're the same age."</p><p>Lucian can see him getting increasingly uncomfortable so he changes his tone to something soft, warm.</p><p>"I didn't mean to offend you, Harry, I just want you to have your own things that actually fit you. You deserve them."</p><p>Harry scoffs quietly and Lucian almost laughs. So much... insecurity.</p><p>"Plus, think of it as a little gift from me, I was planning on buying you something nice anyways."</p><p>A little lie never hurt anyone.</p><p>Harry looks up at him, surprised, "Really?"</p><p>He grins widely. "Really."</p><p>------------------</p><p>Lucian smiles as Harry steps out of the changing room, clad in black slacks and a black button-up made of the softest silk. His dress shoes were shiny and black. It was a formal outfit Lucian had picked out for him. He hums, tilting his head to the side, grinning at the way Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was way out of his depth and it was obvious.</p><p>"You need something that brings out your eyes."</p><p>He walks over to the rack he'd pulled the button-up from and casually flicks through the assortment of clothing.</p><p>"Ah! Perfect." He pulls out a dark pine green button-up, also made of silk. He hands it to Harry, "Try this one."</p><p>Harry mutters something under his breath and steps back into the changing room, closing the door.</p><p>Lucian whistles cheerfully while he waits, going through the five other outfits he'd chosen to buy for Harry once the boy confirmed he liked them. It was oddly endearing, watching the poor boy stutter and grumble awkwardly and blush as Lucian showered him with compliments.</p><p>He refused to tell Harry how much he was spending on him, as he would instantly refuse to take the gift, but he knew Harry had some idea of where they were shopping as they had almost ran into Draco Malfoy and his father in one of the stores they went to.</p><p>As he never really spends any of his money, he has a lot saved up, so he can afford to spoil Harry every now and then.</p><p>He almost snorts. He can't wait to tell Vivian he's basically become Harry's sugar daddy.</p><p>When Harry returns, Lucian grins and nods, "Absolutely gorgeous, Harry, you're too cute."</p><p>"I'm not cute," Harry mumbles, slapping his hand away when he ruffled his hair.</p><p>"Sure you are, you just don't see it yet," Lucian says as they reach the cashier, "But you will,"</p><p>The cashier scans their items and goes to say the price but Lucian stops her by holding his hand up. He doesn't want Harry to reject the gift he spent so long on, after all.</p><p>"I already know the price." He hands the money to her. The blonde stares at him confused but accepts the money, counting it out to ensure everything was there.</p><p>"I'd still really like to know how much you just spent on me," Harry says as they're leaving.</p><p>"That'll ruin the surprise, doll, besides, you aren't supposed to know how much a present costs."</p><p>Harry looks at him with furrowed brows, "You're not?"</p><p>Lucian shakes his head, shifting the bags around so there were three on each arm. "Nope. That's the tradition for Muggles, anyways. Why didn't you know that? You were raised by Muggles."</p><p>Harry looks away, rubbing his arm, "I dunno. Never heard of it, I guess."</p><p>Lucian watches him for a few moments, "I'm gonna take you back to your house. How far away is it from here?"</p><p>"Oh, um, we can catch the train. It doesn't take too long."</p><p>"Where do you live?"</p><p>"Surrey."</p><p>Lucian snorts, "Absolutely not. I'll just apparate us there."</p><p>Harry's head shoots up and he stares at him in confusion, "But you aren't allowed - how?"</p><p>Lucian's smile turned wicked and he winks at Harry, "That's a secret, doll."</p><p>--------------</p><p>Lucian apparates them to a park near Harry's house and keeps a hold on Harry as the boy doubles over, breathing heavily.</p><p>He made a face, running his hand up and down Harry's back, "Yeah, apparating sucks."</p><p>Harry plants his hands on his knees and breathes, "That was unpleasant."</p><p>Laughing, he waited until Harry was stable and they began their walk back to his house. Lucian eyes the houses that looked eerily identical to the ones in Albert Harrington's street and frowns. Harry's family was clearly upper-middle class, so <em>why </em>were they dressing Harry like he was some homeless street rat they found on their front doorstep?</p><p>"Also, um," Harry starts, drawing Lucian's attention to him, "my aunt and uncle don't really... like magic. At all."</p><p>He raises an eyebrow at that. Magic hating Muggles? His favourite kind of people. They always fought back the hardest.</p><p>Lucian decides that if his suspicions about Harry's family were true, he would just kill them in time. It would be immediately obvious to Harry who'd done it if his family turned up dead right after Lucian found out what they were like. He'd have to work out how to kill them without Harry getting suspicious. He decides to talk to Vivian about it later if the family is as horrible he's starting to suspect.</p><p>"I think you should introduce me to them," Lucian announces, and Harry looks up at him, worry etched onto his pretty little face.</p><p>"Er... I don't know if that's a good idea..."</p><p>"Oh, it'll be fine. I won't tell them I'm a wizard. Just tell them I live nearby and you met me at the park. I'll do the rest."</p><p>Harry chews on his lip anxiously and nods, staying silent.</p><p>Once they reach the house, Harry stops in front of the door and takes a deep breath, glancing back at Lucian before opening the door. Lucian notes how they don't lock the door.</p><p>Interesting.</p><p>The sound of a television and a child laughing obnoxiously meets his ears and he keeps the flash of annoyance from reaching his face. The house smells like roast pork and lavender. An... interesting combination.</p><p>He steps further inside and glances into the living room, where a large boy with beady little eyes and neat blonde hair is sitting on the horrid floral couch, a bucket of ice cream in his lap.</p><p><em>Well</em>, he thinks with a smirk, <em>that's where the smell of pork is coming from.</em></p><p>The boy's attention of the television doesn't waver and Lucian deems him boring and moves back into the hallway, watching as Harry quietly and quickly makes his way upstairs with the bags. He lingers around the staircase, studying the unmoving photographs adorning a small set of drawers next to a door that lead to a cupboard under the stairs.</p><p>He notes how none of the family photographs contains Harry, which just seems absurd to Lucian. Who wouldn't want a picture of that pretty face?</p><p>In several of the photographs, there are what he assumes are Harry's aunt and uncle. The man was a whale of a man, with a thick, bushy moustache and beady eyes. The woman is tall, thin, blonde with a horse-like face and a strangely long neck. They look pompous and arrogant. Lucian immediately dislikes them.</p><p>His attention is then caught by the cupboard again. There's no harm in a little snooping. People often hid interesting secrets in the cupboards under the stairs. What does this family hide, he wonders.</p><p>Curious, he pulls the door open and is surprised to find a pile of thin blankets set out on the ground into what seems to be a makeshift bed. He blinks at it and crouches down to peer into the small space. He spots some little figurines on a shelf and a childish drawing taped to one of the walls.</p><p>"What the fuck?" He murmurs to himself and stands up, closing the door. He turns towards the kitchen when the glass door is swung open and the man from the photographs is standing before him.</p><p>Merlin, he's <em>huge</em>.</p><p>The two stare at each other for several moments. Lucian tucks his hands into his pockets and feels his hair standing on end.</p><p>"Who are you?! What are you doing in my house?!" The man's face almost turns purple as he shakes with rage. Lucian can't even begin to figure out what he'd already done to piss him off.</p><p>"I'm here with Harry." He states simply.</p><p>His response only seemed to anger the man even more, but he did look slightly uncomfortable.</p><p>"<em>Boy</em>!" He yells over his shoulder, within seconds Harry is racing down the stairs and appearing beside Lucian, keeping his head down, appearing meek, scared, even, but his face showed barely contained anger.</p><p>"Yes, uncle Vernon?" His voice was clipped but polite, well, as polite as it could be with that anger threatening to spill out.</p><p>Harry has a temper. Interesting. He briefly wonders if Harry gets violent when he's angry and almost shivers in delight at the thought. He wants to see him get violent. He wants-</p><p>"Who is this?" The man, Vernon, jabs a finger in Lucian's direction, snapping him out his thoughts.</p><p>"I'm his friend," He says before Harry can say anything, "My name is Lucian."</p><p>Vernon scoffs out a rather unpleasant laugh, eyeing him with distaste, "He doesn't have friends."</p><p>Lucian steps closer to them, staring at him with an unwavering smile, "Yes, he does."</p><p>"You're not one of those freaky little weirdos from that <em>school</em>, are you?" Vernon basically spits at him, and Lucian finds himself growing increasingly annoyed.</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about. I recently met Harry at the park," He explains, "I moved in nearby. I attend the local school."</p><p>Vernon stares at him long and hard. Lucian knows he can pass as a Muggle, he dresses like one and he knows enough about them to know what to say and how to act.</p><p>Lucian holds back his sigh and steps towards Vernon, holding his hand out with a charming smile, "Lucian Podmore, a pleasure to meet you."</p><p>Vernon's whole demeanour changes and Harry watches, perplexed, as Vernon grabs Lucian's hand and gives him a firm handshake.</p><p>"Ah. Leanne's boy, are ya?"</p><p>Huh. Turns out the Podmore's really are a well-known family around here. Lucian just picked a random name he'd seen on a mural near the park that showed all the families that had helped build their neighbourhood.</p><p>"No, sir, I'm her nephew." Vernon was the type of man that demanded respect from teenagers. Lucian had met his type too many times to count. Winning him over would be easy, it seems.</p><p>"Oh! She never told me she had a nephew," He chortles, leading Lucian into the kitchen with a hand between his shoulder blades. His eye twitches, he <em>hates </em>people touching him. "Petunia! Come here, there's someone you need to meet."</p><p>He glances over his shoulder at Harry to give him a 'what the fuck' look and Harry returns it, remaining by the doorway.</p><p>Petunia turns around from where she was standing at the sink and studies him, taking in his clothes, his hair, his face, everything.</p><p>"Who's this, Vernon?" She asks with a slight sneer on her face. Lucian curbs the urge to fling a knife into her face. That wouldn't end well, though he would thoroughly enjoy the chaos that followed afterwards. He holds back a dreamy sigh.</p><p>"Leanne Podmore's nephew, he's recently moved in nearby."</p><p>Just as Vernon had done, Petunia's whole demeanour changed and she fixed him with a smile.</p><p>"I never knew Leanne had a nephew," She says pleasantly, ushering him further into the room.</p><p>"That's what I said," Vernon chortles and sits down at the table.</p><p>"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Her voice switches to something bitter and angry, "Harry's just about to get started, aren't you?"</p><p>Harry scowls to himself and nods, walking over to the cooking area, "Yes, aunt Petunia."</p><p>Lucian's smile turns wicked, "Oh, I'd <em>love</em> to."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>The Gibbs household is quiet that night, as everyone had gone to bed rather early.</b> Jazzy and Julian are the only ones still awake as they lay on her couch wrapped up in several blankets. Jazzy had demanded they have a Disney marathon and wouldn't hear a single second of it when Julian tried to explain that they wouldn't be able to watch <em>that</em> many movies in a couple of hours.</p><p>As much as he adores cuddling with Jazzy, he was beginning to suffocate under the weight and heat of the blankets, plus Jazzy seems to radiate heat to an extreme level. He never did well with heat, hence why he and his dad moved countries; to escape the suffocating heat of Spain. Perhaps they were being dramatic, not everyone was made for the heat, after all.</p><p>He attempts to remove the blankets and get up but Jazzy shushes him and slams him back down, causing him to yelp, startled by her sudden movement as she's been still the entire time.</p><p>"Jazzy-"</p><p>"One more peep out of you and I'm gonna shove Kaden's socks down your throat," She threatens not taking her gaze off the screen.</p><p>Julian's eyes widen and he stays silent, knowing that it's not an idle threat, but that doesn't stop him from slowly removing one blanket at a time, watching her closely just in case she lashes out. She's so enraptured by the film she doesn't even notice the blankets disappearing.</p><p>Right as he's going to lift the last one, Jazzy's owl, Dixie, comes barreling through the open window, landing right in Julian's lap, causing him to let out a short scream before he covers his mouth with one hand.</p><p>"What the f-" Julian gently places his other hand over Jazzy's mouth and she removes the envelope tied to the owl's leg.</p><p>Jazzy pushes his hand away and pets Dixie's feathers as she rights herself and hoots loudly, causing the two teens to panic and desperately try to shush her but she just gets louder.</p><p>"Okay, okay! We're reading it you little rat," Jazzy mutters as she grabs the envelope from Julian's hands, quickly ripping it open.</p><p>Dixie hops down onto the floor, still hooting as she hops around, probably in search of something to eat.</p><p>"It's from Hogwarts..." She murmurs, eyebrows furrowing.</p><p>"C'mon, start reading," He says impatiently.</p><p>"Fine, fine, calm yourself!" She huffs.</p><p>
  <em>"Dear Mrs and Mr Gibbs.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We regret to inform you that yesterday evening, one of our students passed away. Damara Haluza was a bright, loving young woman who would have grown up to do amazing things.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her cause of death will not be disclosed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A funeral date has not yet been planned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Deputy Headmistress,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minerva McGonagall."</em>
</p><p>The two teenagers are rendered silent as they stare the letter in disbelief. Julian swallows heavily and places his hands between his knees to stop them from shaking. He never really knew Damara, but he was never the biggest fan of her after finding out what she had done to Jazzy.</p><p>While he was in shock and disbelief, he can't help but feel almost... relieved. Shame washes over him in cold waves and he mentally berates himself. He shouldn't feel relieved at someone's death; regardless of how horrid Damara Haluza was, she was a human being with her whole life ahead of her and she didn't deserve to die.</p><p>He brings his attention to Jazzy who seems to be fighting her own internal battle. Her lips are pressed together and her eyes are filled with unshed tears. Her unblinking gaze is set on some random spot on the floor and she seems to be trying to make herself seem smaller, hunching over.</p><p>Julian feels guilty for not immediately thinking about Jazzy. He can't even imagine what she must be feeling over the whole situation. Did she feel the same hint of relief upon receiving the news? Is she feeling guilty about it too?</p><p>Sighing and ignoring the shame twisting his gut, he gets over the initial shock and shuffles closer to Jazzy. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest as she begins to cry.</p><p>They stay like that for a long time.</p><p> </p><p>--------------------</p><p> </p><p>No matter what Julian or the rest of the Gibbs family do, they can't seem to pull Jazzy out of her state of shock. She's completely silent during breakfast the next day, not responding to any questions. She won't even talk about her love for makeup, which had been one of Mahin's attempts at making conversation.</p><p>The family was at a loss as to what to do.</p><p>Nothing they tried had worked. Alexandra had tried rousing a conversation about perhaps visiting her family in Africa. Kaden, as innocent as ever, cheerfully on and on about Jazzy's crush on Zarah Ocampo to try to get a reaction out of the girl as he wasn't used to seeing his loud-mouthed sister so quiet. No one had told him the <em>reason</em> behind her sullen silence, deeming him too young.</p><p>Julian had even tried putting on Disney movies, but nothing worked.</p><p>Now, Julian and Mahin are sat on the steps on the front porch, watching as Jazzy sits alone in the field, picking at daisies. Her wild mane of curls almost glowed orange in the dying sunlight, blowing gently in the wind.</p><p>He can hear Alexandra and Kaden talking about something inside but he pays no mind to it, too worried about his best friend to care.</p><p>Julian hears Mahin sigh and looks at him.</p><p>"I haven't seen her like this since... since..."</p><p>"I know," He says softly. Julian can tell Mahin is scared, he's scared too. Scared that this situation will be what drags Jazzy back into her lonely pit of despair.</p><p>While he doesn't completely understand why Jazzy reacted the way she did to Damara's death, he knows that the girl feels things very deeply. And while Damara had made her life hell for years, there was still some strange connection between the two. Jazzy never brought it up so he never asked, but he feels as though there was something below the surface of torment and hatred.</p><p>They <em>were </em>friends, at some stage. During their first year, if he recalls correctly. Albert Harrington had been the one to introduce the two and they had hit it off straight away. How Albert knew Damra, Julian didn't know. But the two girls grew extremely close in no time at all.</p><p>But their friendship quickly turned ugly and for some reason unbeknownst to Julian, Damara had turned on Jazzy and started tormenting her and abusing her.</p><p>It had torn Jazzy apart. It had been heartbreaking to watch she slowly broke down.</p><p>Julian has never really forgiven Damara for it.</p><p>"I just... feel so helpless right now," Mahin begins, rubbing his hands over his face, "it's like it's happening all over again."</p><p>"We won't let it get that far, Mahin, you know that," Julian quickly reassures.</p><p>"I know, I just... I don't know how to cheer her up and I know it hasn't even been two days yet, but I... I..."</p><p>Julian quickly pulls Mahin into a hug as the man's voice cracks at the end.</p><p>Suddenly, Julian freezes as he's thinking of what he can do to help and idea springs to his mind. Something that will bring Jazzy out of her state of shock. Or rather, <em>someone</em>.</p><p>"I know what to do."</p><p> </p><p>------------------</p><p> </p><p>An hour later, Julian finds Jazzy laying on her bed facing the wall. He quietly makes his way over to the bed and gently lays a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to turn to peer at him with bloodshot eyes. It looks like she's been crying and his heart clenches.</p><p>"Hey, Jazzy," He says, ensuring there's no hint of softness or sympathy in his voice. She despises sympathy with a burning passion and it was a quick way to earn yourself a black eye.</p><p>She doesn't respond and continues to stare blankly at him, waiting for him to continue.</p><p>"Uh... I've got a surprise for you!" He exclaims, trying to sound cheerful, but he fails miserably. Instead, he ends up sounding rather cartoonish.</p><p>Jazzy rolls her eyes slightly as she faces the wall again, covering herself with the covers.</p><p>Well, if she wasn't going to go to her surprise, the surprise would just have to come to her.</p><p>Julian gets up and walks to the door, poking his head out into the hallway to beckon the person over with a large smile. He hears a snort as he ducks back into the room, almost bouncing on his feet.</p><p>Lucian Weasley then dramatically struts into the room.</p><p>His sharp gaze scans every inch of the room before landing on the small lump of sadness on the bed, some curls sticking out from the top of the blankets.</p><p>He looks over at Julian with raised eyebrows. Julian hadn't exactly explained <em>why </em>he was demanding the ginger's presence, briefly mentioning the state she was in and Damara Haluza. Though hearing one of his best friend's was upset, Lucian had dropped everything to come to help cheer her up.</p><p>Julian also suspected it was because Lucian was there when the <em>incident </em>happened, he and Julian being the ones to find her.</p><p>He watches, perplexed, as Lucian begins doing some odd stretches, as though preparing for a game of Quidditch.</p><p>He then backs up to the door, positions himself as though he's about to start a race, rubs his hands together and winks at Julian with a large grin (which Julian absolutely did not blush because of.)</p><p>He then sprints at Jazzy's bed, jumps up and lands directly on top of her, ripping a startled yelp from the girl.</p><p>"W-"</p><p>"Hiya, Jazzy baby!" Lucian laughs as she struggles to free herself. Upon hearing his voice, she freezes and then her head appears from under the blanket, glaring daggers at the grinning man.</p><p>She manages to push him off and he rolls off the bed, cackling madly as he hits the floor.</p><p>"Awh! You missed me!"</p><p>"I did not!" She growls, throwing her pillow at him as she sits up.</p><p>"See!" He calls out to Julian who has been standing by the door with wide eyes, wondering if Jazzy was about to kill Lucian. "I told ya I'd cure her!"</p><p>Jazzy turns to her deadly gaze to Julian, who immediately backs up and holds his hands up in defence.</p><p>"You told him I was <em>sick</em>?"</p><p>"No-"</p><p>"Nah, he didn't," Lucian interjects, still laying on the floor, "I just said that to get a reaction."</p><p>"Lucian," Julian begins slowly, "when I said come help her, I didn't mean come and make her angry."</p><p>"Yeah, but it works really well. Look at her! She's about to breathe fire at me! Isn't that great?"</p><p>"Not really, no," He responds cautiously, watching as Jazzy only seems to get angrier the more Lucian speaks. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to bring him over. Perhaps he should have gone to Vivian, the calm, soft-spoken one.</p><p>But Lucian was right; it did work. Jazzy was out of her state of shock and was speaking again.</p><p>Then without warning, Jazzy grabs a pillow and gets on top of a cackling Lucian and holds it over his face. The laughter is muffled but they can still hear it. Julian's eyes widen but he doesn't move to intervene upon seeing the small smile on Jazzy's face.</p><p>He pointedly ignores the twinge of jealously as Lucian grabs her waist. He notes how Lucian doesn't seem to be trying to stop her from smothering him, in fact, it's almost as though he's waiting to see how far she'll go.</p><p>Lucian seems to do that a lot, Julian's noticed. When he gets into a fight at school (a rarity), he doesn't actually fight back. In fact, he damn near goads them on, it's like he's trying to test people's limits.</p><p>That or he has a pain kink.</p><p>When her smothering doesn't seem to shut him up, she sighs in defeat and lifts the pillow away from his face. She glares down at him as his grin doesn't fade and he stares back.</p><p>Julian's smile wavers a bit as he catches sight of a brief flash of something... manic and dark on Lucian's face before it passes. It was startling, but it might have just been his imagination playing tricks on him.</p><p>"You're a bitch, Lucian," Jazzy growls at him.</p><p>"Takes one to know one," He counters, sticking his tongue at her.</p><p>"And you are both childish," Julian sighs.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>hiya lmao, i wanna add a warning to this chapter. at some point, it seems like lucian is gonna sexually assault someone, he doesn't though, he only does it to freak people out. stay safe yall &lt;3</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Dinner with the Dursley's had gone as well as one would expect. Lucian had to curb the urge to mutilate them every time they spoke ill of his Harry.</b> As wondrous as it would be, killing the boys' family wouldn't, unfortunately, land Lucian in his good books.</p><p>The dinner is all he can think about for the next few weeks. He often dreams of how he can torture the Dursley's. But what was really stuck on his mind was <em>Harry</em>.</p><p>Lucian doesn't know what to call his odd friendship with Harry. He doesn't want to date him, no, he doesn't want the commitment (like mother like wayward son.) He's never liked dating, preferring to keep things casual. To put it simply, Lucian only had fuck buddies. In the beginning, he assumed Harry would just become one of his one-night stands and both of them would move on with their lives. Harry would keep almost dying every year at the hands of Voldemort and Lucian would continue killing people.</p><p>But it seems that is not the case. He <em>knows</em> Harry likes him, or is at least somewhat attracted to him, but what he can't fathom is why the boy hasn't acted on it. Harry's always been known for being daring and impulsive.</p><p>Perhaps it's because they're both boys. Lucian assumes the Dursley's are homophobic, that or they just haven't talked about anything LGBT+ with Harry. Well, from what Harry had told him, they didn't even tell him how his parents had died. Lucian was far too wishful to think that they would casually bring up the LGBT+ community in a positive manner.</p><p>He sighs and leans back in the armchair, twirling his wand between his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face.</p><p>That could be it, he thinks, Harry could be scared of initiating anything. Perhaps in fear that Lucian would react badly or he was fighting his own internal battles of internalized homophobia. Well, that just won't do. Lucian is going to have to be the one to get things going, then.</p><p>Not that he minds; he adores watching Harry squirm and blush. He finds it highly entertaining and endearing.</p><p>The only problem Lucian has in the matter is the fact that he doesn't <em>date,</em> but he feels, in all likelihood, Harry would. Harry seems like the type of boy to enjoy proper dates. Romantic dinners and all. Well, perhaps not fancy dinners, but something like a cute little date in a tea shop, accompanied by shy smiles and averted gazes and a whole lot of blushing.</p><p>Lucian can deal with that. He doesn't mind playing into what Harry wants for a while.</p><p>Plus, he thinks with a devilish smile, it would be interesting to see if Harry could figure out what he does in his spare time. However, the one who would be most likely to discover him is Hermione. Smart little thing, she is.</p><p>Maybe Lucian should fuck with her for a while. But she was so... uptight. She might be just as boring as Snape. Then again, Snape is no Hermione Granger.</p><p>She would actually have a chance at discovering him. After all, Harry had told him that Hermione was the one to discover the Professor Lupin was a werewolf.</p><p>He did always love leaning over the edge.</p><p>The sound of muffled sobbing catches his attention, drawing him out of his thoughts. He sighs and looks in the direction of the four people tied up in the middle of the quaint little living room. They were all on their knees with their wrists and ankles bound with some duct tape he had found in the shed.</p><p>The two parents, a man and a woman in their early forties seem to be trying to hiding their two young sons behind them, leaning in front of them. They can't be older than eight or nine. He's also pretty sure they're twins.</p><p>The parents look oddly similar, both having light blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin. However, one of the son's has black hair and brown eyes. It makes him wonder what other activities the mother does in her spare time. </p><p>He had accidentally stumbled upon their cute cottage while he was scouting the forest with Vivian, wondering if they should start disposing of the bodies they don't want to be found there. He'd seen them through the window and an unnerving smile had graced his lips.</p><p>It was rather impulsive, really.</p><p>Vivian had sighed and told him she would keep watch while he went had fun, turning her back to him to begin putting up the protective enchantments. Lucian always thought they were unnecessary; he liked the danger.</p><p>As far as he knew, they were a muggle family. He hadn't found any wands when he'd searched them and they had plenty of muggle technology, which wouldn't work if they were practising magic.</p><p>"You know," he begins, the father flinches at the sound of his voice, making him snort, "it really is a stupid idea to isolate yourselves in a forest. Anything could happen out here, and nobody would be around to hear your screams."</p><p>The sobbing gets louder and he grins at them, watching as they struggle with a hungry glint in his eyes. Oh, he was so <em>giddy</em>. He doesn't even know where to start.</p><p>Should he start with the twins and force the parents to watch, helpless and unable to save their own children as Lucian carves them up? Or should he start with the parents and traumatize the children as they watch their whole world be snatched away from them, only to be left alone and scared abandoned. Alone with the <em>big bad man</em>.</p><p>He sighs wistfully, resting his chin on his hand as he watches them, trying to decide which option to go for.</p><p>Suddenly, he perks up, his smile and eyes widen with glee. "Ooh! I have an idea."</p><p>He stands up and skips over to them, easily pushing the parents away from the twins, they both fall over and start yelling, but it's muffled by the duct tape over their mouths. He stands in front of the boy with messy black hair and red, tear-filled eyes.</p><p>He kicks the boy's knees apart and the mother's screaming gets louder as Lucian kneels in front of him. He glances over at the woman who's begun hyperventilating.</p><p>"Hey, y'know what the femoral artery is?" Lucian asks casually, rendering them silent.</p><p>Grinning in the direction of the mother, he brings his hand between the boy's thighs and trails his fingers along the inside of his thigh, laughing when the mother starts screaming again, this time in rage and fear. The father lays there, silently crying with his eyes squeezed closed. He seems to be trying to scoot closer to the child closest to him, the blonde.</p><p>He likes the mother better, she's far more entertaining.</p><p>"It's right here in both thighs. It's a major artery, you see," he says conversationally as if talking to his friends, "if it's severed, you'll pass out within a minute from the blood loss. And within four or five minutes, you're dead. Even if you manage to stem the bleeding before a minute is up, there's a very high chance you'll die, even with blood transfusions. Interesting, isn't it?"</p><p>The parents are staring at him in horror and he draws hand away, folding them together as he looks between the two with a slightly tilted head.</p><p>"Now, we're gonna play a little game. See this coin?" he grabs a coin from his pocket and holds it up so everyone can see it. He waits and observes their reactions. They look confused and upset and fearful. He loves it. He loves the <em>power </em>he has over them.</p><p>"The blonde kid is heads, and the other one is tails. Got it?"</p><p>There's no reaction from any of them. Wow, tough crowd, he thinks with a snort.</p><p>"I'm gonna flip this coin, and whichever side it lands on... well, that one gets a quick, not at all painless death. But hey, at least it'll be quick."</p><p>The hysterics start up again and Lucian takes a moment to just bask in it all. He really does enjoy the sound of crying and screaming.</p><p>He then leans back and throws the coin upwards, covering it when it lands in his hand. Just to fuck with them some more, he waits several long moments, which, as he hoped, made them sob harder as the air became rich with the smell of fear.</p><p>"Ah, I'm just messin' with ya," he giggles, uncovering the coin to see who he would be showing mercy to. He grins wide enough to show two rows of unnaturally white teeth, reminding the family of a hungry shark, "<em>tails</em>."</p><p>The parents start thrashing and screaming and the little boy sobs and squeezes his eyes shut, head hanging between his shoulders, his small frame trembling in fear.</p><p>Well, there's no harm in messing with them some more.</p><p>Lucian swiftly shoves the boy onto his back and yanks his pants down his legs, cackling at the boy's feeble attempts to kick him away.</p><p>"Relax, will ya?" he says to the parents when they became hysterical, "it's fuckin hard to cut through thick sweatpants."</p><p>He glances at the other child, who has been oddly silent the whole time. He looks scared out of his mind, tears streamed down his face and he was shaking terribly, but not one sound had emitted from him. Interesting. Lucian wonders what sounds he can wrangle out of him. He's suddenly glad he won't be killing him first.</p><p>"I wasn't exactly expecting to kill anyone today, I'm not that prepared, so you'll have to forgive me for that," he explains, reaching into his pocket to bring out the small switchblade, "but luckily for me, I always keep a pocket knife on me."</p><p>Bringing his attention back to the child on his back, he pushes his legs apart as far as he can the pants restricting the movement. He pushes one knee all the way down to the ground and holds it down, keeping the other one straight up.</p><p>He flicks the knife open and somehow the screaming gets even louder, almost piercing his eardrums. It's hysterical and panicked, Lucian briefly wonders if she was going to pass out from the lack of air; she hasn't stopped to take a breath once. It was actually quite impressive.</p><p>Lucian peers at the kid's face, finding a strange sort of acceptance amongst the grief and pain. Like he had accepted what was to come. His manic grin wavers and his brows furrow ever so slightly. Well, he wasn't expecting that.</p><p>Before he can get even more distracted and confused, Lucian slashes his knife in perfect precision across the inside of his thigh. Instantly, he's greeted by that familiar, lovely spray of blood. The kid thrashes around, sobbing and screaming as blood spurts from his wound.</p><p>But that's <em>nothing </em>compared to the grief-stricken wail to came from the mother. As much as he would love to look at her to see her reaction, he's too enthralled by the sight of the boy bleeding out in front of him. </p><p>As expected, he passes out within a minute, the thrashing slowing down immensely. Lucian isn't sure when the boy stops breathing, but the body has gone completely still and his chest has stopped rising. His attention had been stuck on the wound, eyes wide and hungry. He sighs, what a shame. He adores watching their face during their last moments. The only time a person is ever honest.</p><p>Ah well. One down, three more to go.</p><p>Sighing happily, he scoots back away from the body, tucking his knife back into his pocket. He stands up and picks up his wand where its spot on the armchair.</p><p>"<em>Adresiduntin</em>." Instantly, the blood soaking him quickly began to seep into his skin. He shivers dramatically and basks in the strange feeling. The remaining people watch on in horror at the sight.</p><p>He didn't have to get rid of the blood, but messing with muggles was way too fun and to pass up on the opportunity would be insulting.</p><p>Lucian then turns back to the grieving family with an unwavering smile.</p><p>"Now, let's begin, shall we?"</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>When Lucian and Vivian return to the Burrow that evening, she won't even look at him, let alone talk to him.</b> He'd instantly noticed her change in attitude after he left the cabin. She appeared distracted, distant, upset, even.</p><p>He's always had trouble figuring out what she was feeling, but her feelings were basically painted on her face in neon.</p><p>Something had clearly happened while he was in the cabin, but he doesn't know <em>what</em>. She always tells him when something was wrong, but she seems intent on ignoring his existence.</p><p>She's always been an extremely private person.</p><p>It's irritating because he needs to gush to her about what he did in the cabin, but he <em>supposes </em>he can wait until Vivian got over whatever little problems she has.</p><p>Lucian will just have to wait until she comes to him.</p><p>As they walk inside, she gently pushes past him and heads upstairs without a word to anyone. He stares after her as Ginny comes to stand next to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders.</p><p>"What's up with her?"</p><p>"I'm not sure," Lucian responds honestly.</p><p>"It's probably best to talk to her later and let her be by herself for a bit. Now, come into the living room you twit, we've been waiting on you two for ages!"</p><p>He snorts and lets her drag him into the living room, where he's immediately pulled into a hug from Molly.</p><p>"Oh, Lucian, dear, we were beginning to worry about you! Your cousins missed you while you were gone," Molly exclaims, squeezing him tightly, "how is Vivian?"</p><p>"Yeah, about as much as we miss detention with Filch," George laughs as he and Fred enter the room.</p><p>"I'd say as much as we miss Snape, Georgie."</p><p>"As much as we miss Lockhart-"</p><p>Lucian sticks his tongue out at the snickering pair before turning back to Molly.</p><p>"Vivian's fine, just a little down."</p><p>"Perhaps she's a little tired from all that <em>hiking </em>they did," Fred whispers to George and the two laugh to themselves.</p><p>Molly then notices something on his face, preventing him from replying to the twins.</p><p>"Lucian, you've got something on the corner of your mouth," she informs him, concerned.</p><p>He lifts his fingers to his mouth and when he brings them back there's a smear of blood on them. He stares at them for several seconds, silently fuming at Vivian. She obviously hadn't cast the spell right while she was off dazed in her own little world.</p><p>Then he remembers the people staring at him, but they seem to take his silence as confusion and not shock.</p><p>"Oh!" He laughs, "I bit my lip while we were out. The hiking instructor healed it for me, he must've missed the blood."</p><p>Molly pulls a handkerchief from her pocket and dabs at the drying blood, ignoring his protests.</p><p>"<em>Tsk, tsk,</em> he should've cleaned the blood too," Molly mutters, shaking her head.</p><p>"Awww," the twins coo, holding onto to each other. Ginny laughs from where she's sitting on an armchair and joins in on the cooing.</p><p>Lucian's lips stretch into a grin but he pays them no mind as he listens to Molly go on about preparing supper as she stops cleaning his face.</p><p>"But before that, you have a surprise waiting for you upstairs!" Molly smiles, excited.</p><p>He raises an eyebrow at her before walking over to the stairs to peer up them.</p><p>"Uh, is Arthur my surprise?" He questions as he watches his uncle come down the stairs, ready to greet him.</p><p>Arthur looks at him baffled, before turning to Molly with a confused expression. Molly stares at her husband, pointing at a suitcase.</p><p>His eyes widen and he nods profusely, "Oh! Right, uh, Lucian, your surprise is upstairs in Ron's room."</p><p>He nods slowly, confused. Ignoring the strangely excited expressions on everyone's faces, he jogs up the stairs and over to Ron's room.</p><p>He can hear Ron laughing about something, which makes him wonder, is Ron his surprise?</p><p>"Ronnie-kins!" He sing-songs before slamming the boy's door open, startling not only his young cousin but Harry and Hermione as well.</p><p>Standing the doorway, he's speechless as he stares at his Harry. His heart skips a beat and his expression of surprise turns into one of elation as a happy smile graces Harry's lips.</p><p>"Oh, <em>Harry</em>," He breathes, delighted, eyes glinting.</p><p>Hermione's eyebrows raise and even Ron catches onto the strange amount of affection and excitement in his voice.</p><p><em>Well, this makes my plan a lot easier,</em> he thinks, a manic laugh bubbling in his throat. He bites it back.</p><p>Harry, ignoring his friends, quickly stands up and comes to stand in front of him, cheeks burning. He stammers out a greeting, fiddling with his fingers and looking anywhere but him.</p><p>Deciding to be a little cruel, Lucian shoves his hands into his pockets and tilts his head to the side, his smile growing wider as he watches him suffer.</p><p>Upon seeing movement behind Harry, his eyes flick up like darts to see Hermione crossing her arms over her chest with narrowed eyes. She knows what he is doing, and she doesn't like it one bit.</p><p>He winks at her before giving his undivided attention to the boy in front of him, missing the scowl on the girl's face.</p><p>Harry falls silent and glowers at a spot on the ground between them. Instead of doing what Hermione clearly expects him to, he waits for Harry to do something first, just to see if that fiery Gryffindor bravery came out.</p><p>Harry presses his lips together and glances up at Lucian before staring at a spot on his chest. He certainly wants to do something, but Lucian isn't quite sure. His wicked mind plays out several scenarios and his heart races. But no, Lucian can fantasize all he wants, he knows Harry won't do what he's thinking about. Especially since his friends are present.</p><p>A man can dream.</p><p>Lucian pays no mind to the growing awkwardness in the room, he never really does.</p><p>Hermione and Ron glance at each other but neither of them say anything.</p><p>While waiting, Lucian takes a moment to admire the obvious height difference between them. Harry barely reaches his chest.</p><p>Then, finally, <em>finally</em>, Harry grumbles something under his breath, and, pointedly not looking at Lucian, quickly wraps his arms around his waist in an awkward, sad type of hug.</p><p>Lucian chuckles and places one hand on Harry's lower back as the other comes to rest on the back of Harry's neck, pulling him into his chest as he rests his chin on top of Harry's head. It's a strangely intimate hug and he can't help but grin at Hermione's expression.</p><p>She purses her lips and tugs Ron out of the room, obviously going to go voice her concerns about him. He rolls his eyes. Harry doesn't seem to notice his friends leaving, that or he doesn't care.</p><p>He's never hugged Harry before and he's beginning to wonder why he never thought to do so before.</p><p>Feeling Harry shift as though he means to pull away, Lucian's arm slips around his waist and the hand on his neck slides up into his hair, tugging slightly on the soft strands.</p><p>He leans down to brush his lips against his ear and murmurs, "I missed you, Harry."</p><p>Instantly, Harry pulls away and his face is as red as a tomato, he looks down and wrings his hands. "I-I, uh, I m-missed you too..." he stutters, wincing at the shakiness in his voice. Lucian feels a strange jab of affection.</p><p>Harry's just so cute, Lucian could eat him right up.</p><p>His mind runs wild with possibilities but he pushes them out of his thoughts, focusing solely on the blushing boy in front of him.</p><p>As much as he enjoys watching Harry become a blushing mess because of him, he fears he'll pass out soon if Lucian keeps going.</p><p>What a shame.</p><p>"So, any particular reason why you're here, doll?" Lucian asks, slinging an arm over his shoulder and leading him out of the room.</p><p>"They invited me to go to the Quidditch World Cup with them," Harry tells him as he's led downstairs.</p><p>"Did they now..." He murmurs thoughtfully. He wasn't originally planning on attending the event, as he has no interest in Quidditch. But if <em>Harry </em>is going...</p><p>He can make an exception for Harry.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------</p><p> </p><p>Lucian finds Vivian sitting in the fields surrounding the Burrow, hidden by the obnoxiously tall grass. He'd only found her because she was humming. He knew that if she didn't want to be found eventually, then she wouldn't be found.</p><p>She wants him to go to her.</p><p>He rolls his eyes and trudges through the grass, listening to the haunting melody. He's always adored her singing voice, it was deep, melodic, and strangely dark.</p><p>She's sitting facing away from him, her back straight. When he walks in front of her he can see that her eyes are closed.</p><p>He raises an eyebrow as the humming stops but she doesn't open her eyes or greet him. Lucian huffs and sits down in front of her, picking at the grass as he intently scans her face.</p><p>"Silent treatment, Vivi? Really, baby?"</p><p>"I am not giving you the silent treatment," She replies, voice void of emotion.</p><p>He smiles, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he tilts his head, "Then... what is this? What are you doin'?"</p><p>Her lips twitch. "I'm concerned."</p><p>Lucian lets out a sharp burst of laughter and falls back onto the ground, folding his arms behind his head.</p><p>"Are you still worried about Harry? I told you-"</p><p>"No."</p><p>He makes a face, still smiling, "Okay... am I supposed to figure this out? Are you mad at me?"</p><p>"I'm not exactly mad, no."</p><p>He's beginning to get annoyed now.</p><p>"What did I do, Vivi?" He asks, and Vivian can hear the dangerous edge to his voice.</p><p>She finally opens her eyes and Lucian feels a flare of frustration as she continues to stare blankly at him.</p><p>"You went too far this time."</p><p>Lucian's eyebrows raise and he blinks several times, just staring at the clouds in the sky. <em>Too far?</em></p><p>He pushes himself up onto his elbows to stare incredulously at his friend as she gazes back fearlessly. As much as he wishes to lash out at her, he can't be impulsive and violent this close to the Burrow. Not with so many witnesses.</p><p>"What do ya mean?"</p><p>She begins to look exasperated, "Lucian- an entire family... they... we've always agreed on one person at a time. It's too risky!"</p><p>Lucian snorts and falls back onto the ground, "C'mon, Vi, even you were getting bored with that same routine."</p><p>"No, I wasn't."</p><p>"How is an entire family too far?"</p><p>She runs her hands through her hair, tugging at the ends, looking extremely upset and conflicted. It was strange and quite unlike her. "It's not just that, Lucian. I was watching you through the window-"</p><p>Lucian feels a jab of excitement. Surely she would appreciate what he'd done.</p><p>"-and I saw you drinking the blood, Lucian! <em>That's </em>too far."</p><p>"You <em>what</em>?!" Both of them snap their heads towards Hermione Granger, who was staring at them in horror. It appears as though she was spying on them.</p><p>That means she heard what they were saying.</p><p>Oh, he really doesn't want to have to kill Harry's best friend.</p><p>Thinking swiftly, he laughs and tells her, "I drank fake blood to freak Vi's family out. Fred and George are horrible influences, don't let them suck you into the prankster lifestyle, you'll never get out."</p><p>Hermione narrows her eyes but looks relieved. </p><p>"Yes, they are..." She says quietly before turning and walking away, shoulders stiff.</p><p>They watch her go and Lucian pulls himself into a sitting position, heart pounding.</p><p>"Well, that was exciting!" He exclaims. Vivian sighs and closes her eyes again.</p><p>"You know you're going to have to kill her now, right?"</p><p>Lucian frowns at her, not particularly wanting to kill Harry's best friend. "Why do I need to do that?"</p><p>"She's growing suspicious. She'll most likely express her concerns to Harry and Ron. I know you don't want that to happen."</p><p>He hums thoughtfully, laughing lowly, "what if I <em>want </em>to risk it, though?"</p><p>"She's intelligent. She'll most likely figure it out and you'll get caught." She tells him blankly.</p><p>"Maybe, but it'll be exciting."</p><p>"Think about it this way then, if you kill her, Harry will be absolutely broken and distraught."</p><p>Lucian nods, "right..."</p><p>"He'll be looking for someone to lean on. That's where <em>you </em>come in. Ron will be too busy grieving on his own to be able to help Harry."</p><p>Lucian's grin widens and his eyes are alight with something dangerous.</p><p>
  <em>Harry will be broken, but Lucian will be right there to pick up the pieces and put him back together.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Albert Harrington's body had been discovered and Danielle Harrington was still missing.</b> Their parents had returned from a holiday only to discover their son's decaying corpse in the dining room, their daughter nowhere to be seen.</p><p>Police believe she was kidnapped by the one (or ones) who murdered her brother.</p><p>It's all over the news and it is all everyone can talk about. They'd received the news from the school and Molly had been inconsolable for hours. She didn't even know the kid, so he wasn't sure why she was so affected by it.</p><p>"Two students... two <em>children </em>in only a few weeks..." Molly cries, burying her head in her hands as Arthur rubs her back comfortingly, looking equally distressed.</p><p>The Weasley's, along with Harry and Hermione, were all sat or standing around the living room, looking confused and upset. Miserable, even. Harry was setting on the ratty loveseat next to Lucian, who had his arm around his shoulders.</p><p>The boy looks guilty, as though he was blaming himself for the deaths. Idiot.</p><p>"Who could have done this?" Hermione whispers, voice cracking but her face was set in steely determination. As if she thought she was going to be the one to solve a murder.</p><p>Oh, Lucian is excited to see that.</p><p>"You say that like it was the same person, 'Mione," Ron says.</p><p>She stares at him, "Ronald, <em>obviously </em>it was! just look at the evidence! they were killed in the exact same way, that can't be a coincidence."</p><p>Lucian watches her curiously, staying silent.</p><p>"We don't know that for sure, Hermione," Arthur replies hesitantly.</p><p>Lucian doesn't know how she knew how his victims were killed,  he assumes it has something to do with Arthur being in the Ministry (he still shouldn't really know, though, and if he knew something he really shouldn't have told his kids), but he was immensely amused by the whole situation.</p><p>"How do you even know that, Hermione?" Percy asks from his place on the floor in front of the fireplace.</p><p>She hesitates, glancing at Arthur nervously.</p><p>"It... appears my letter was slightly different from everyone else's." She's avoiding making eye contact with everyone, looking like a child about to be scolded for hiding something from her parents.</p><p>Lucian's eyebrows raise as the adults scramble over to her to get the letter. Why would McGonagall give Hermione Granger the gruesome details of two of her classmate's deaths?</p><p>She wouldn't.</p><p>Lucian knows McGonagall would never do that to a student, she was extremely empathetic and caring and absolutely <em>not </em>stupid.</p><p>Someone had, evidently, tampered with the letter.</p><p>Lucian almost laughs.</p><p>How <em>stupid </em>does Vivian think he is?</p><p>He excuses himself and as he is walking past Vivian, he grabs her wrist and subtlely yanks her up from the couch and drags her up the stairs.</p><p>He glances over his shoulder and makes eye contact with Hermione. He gives her the faintest smirk as she stares at him with narrowed eyes.</p><p>He drags a silent Vivian to Ron's room and forcefully shoves her inside and closes the door behind him, watching with sinister glee as she crashes to the ground. He casts numerous privacy spells on the room and once he's done, he turns to face Vivian, who was on her back on the floor. She doesn't look surprised, but she does look somewhat scared. She pushes herself up onto her elbows to see him properly.</p><p>He fleetingly wonders if anyone would be concerned about the sudden loud thump on the roof.</p><p>"Y'know, I can't tell if you thought I was stupid and wouldn't notice, or you <em>wanted </em>me to know," he says, smiling at her. </p><p>She doesn't say anything, but he notices her inching back slowly. His eyes dart to her wand which is laying on the floor just out of reach behind her. It had obviously fallen out of her hand when he shoved her to the floor.</p><p>"Don't be stupid, Vi," he tuts, and she freezes, maintaining eye contact with him. She can see the barely contained fury in his eyes, the too-tight smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.</p><p>He looks terrifying.</p><p>"I knew you would know it was me," she finally says, keeping her voice steady.</p><p>He giggles, stepping closer, "obviously, you're smart, Vi. But what I can't fathom is why."</p><p>"You are being <em>reckless</em> and <em>idiotic</em>," she hisses, and Lucian raises an eyebrow at the sudden shift in tone, "I am trying to show you what will happen if you go any further."</p><p>His grin is widening but still doesn't reach her eyes.</p><p>He's completely silent.</p><p>"...Lucian?"</p><p>"<em>Crucio</em>."</p><p>He prefers to use his hands to bring harm, but he knows if he gets his hands on her, he won't stop until she is dead.</p><p>A maniacal laugh bubbles up in his throat as he watches with glee as Vivian screams her throat raw and thrashes on the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. He can almost picture the fire-hot tendrils of pain crashing through her.</p><p>He's been under the Cruciatus curse before, so he knows <em>exactly </em>what she's feeling. It just makes him laugh harder.</p><p>Soon, the room is filled with her screams of pain and his deranged cackles.</p><p>After a minute, he lets up and she lays motionless on the ground, panting heavily and blinking up at the roof with a dazed expression. She's trembling and her body twitches every now and then. Her skin is ashen and she's sweating heavily.</p><p>He kneels down beside her and thinks, fuck it, and wraps his hand around her throat in a vice-like grip and the other covers her mouth and nose as he straddles her waist.</p><p>When she starts thrashing and trying to hit him to get him off, he digs his nails into her throat and she quickly stops, hands coming to grip the one on her neck. She stares at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.</p><p>His unwavering smile widens as the fear kicks in as she realizes he isn't moving and it doesn't look like he's going to any time soon.</p><p>Ignoring the nails digging in, she starts thrashing again, prying at his hands, but they stay locked in place. She starts hitting him frantically in any place she can, but the hits just bounce off of him.</p><p>Just as her thrashing is slowing, and the hits on his arms, chest, and face get weaker, he lets go.</p><p>She greedily gulps down the air, tears streaming down her face. He lets her breathe for a bit, but then he grabs her throat, covers her mouth and nose again.</p><p>Just before she passes out, he lets go.</p><p>He does this over, and over, and over, and over again.</p><p>He does this until she's begging him to stop after around half an hour.</p><p>She's shaking, looks exhausted, is sweating profusely, and the tears have long since stopped. Lucian feels no pity for her.</p><p>"I'm not gonna kill you this time, Vivi, but don't think just because you're the most valuable person to me, that I won't hurt you," he murmurs, pushing her hair out of her face, "I'll tear you apart and won't feel a thing."</p><p>Then the door slams open and he sighs, rolling his eyes.</p><p>"Luc- <em>oh</em>, bloody hell, I-I, uh, I'm s-so sorry!" He glances over shoulder and sees Ron staring at them, his face is beet red and his eyes are wide.</p><p>He slams the door closed and Lucian snorts, realizing how the situation looks to Ron.</p><p>Lucian, straddling Vivian as she lay flushed and panting on the ground.</p><p>He laughs to himself and stands up, peering down at the broken girl and she doesn't move, but her eyes follow him.</p><p>"Obviously, y'know what's gonna happen if you pull a stunt like that again," he exclaims, running a hand through his hair, "tell anyone about this and you're gonna lose a leg, capiche?"</p><p>She nods weakly in response.</p><p>He gives her a wide grin and skips from the room, going to find Harry.</p><p> </p><p>----------------</p><p> </p><p>He finds Harry at the kitchen table, sitting in between Ron and Hermione. They seem to be discussing something serious as they're whispering amongst themselves. He greets them all with a wide a smile and when Ron looks up at him, his face goes bright red again and he fixates his gaze on the bowl of porridge. He, much to Lucian's amusement, looks traumatized. Hermione merely fixes him with a narrowed-eyed stare.</p><p>She does that a lot.</p><p>Harry gives him a small smile and goes to say something but yelps in surprise as Lucian tugs him out of the chair, effectively cutting him off.</p><p>"I'm borrowing him for a while," Lucian states, pulling Harry closer to him as he had stumbled getting off the chair, and clearly needed help.</p><p>He knows he'd acting a little... brash, but as good as an actor he is, he can't quite hide the anger and annoyance with his usual charming flamboyance.</p><p>Lucian laughs at the way Ron's eyes widen, likely thinking Lucian was about to drag his best friend away and have his way with him.</p><p>"Why-" Hermione starts but is quickly cut off by Lucian pulling Harry out of the room.</p><p>She turns to face Ron and is met by his wide, fearful eyes.</p><p>"Ron? What's wrong?"</p><p>"I think Lucian might be going to..."</p><p>"Going to what?"</p><p>Ron winces and leans over to whisper something in her ear.</p><p>"<em>What!?</em>"</p><p> </p><p>----------------</p><p> </p><p>Lucian takes Harry outside into the field, holding him tightly against his side as the small boy keeps his attention on his feet, not saying anything.</p><p>Harry had been avoiding him since he arrived and only stayed around him if Lucian physically forced him to stay, like pulling him into his side, grabbing his hand and whatnot. He doesn't understand why Harry's avoiding him and he is going to find out. <em>Now</em>.</p><p>He doesn't like being ignored or avoided. At all.</p><p>Harry's just lucky Lucian likes him.</p><p>Lucian sits down in the long grass once they're far enough away from the Burrow, pulling Harry with him. Harry hesitantly obliges and sits down in front of him, their knees almost touching. He starts picking at the grass and pointedly ignoring Lucian's intense stare and smile.</p><p>That describes Lucian well.</p><p><em>Intense</em>.</p><p>"Harry, look at me, doll." Lucian keeps his voice warm and gentle, not wanting to scare him just yet.</p><p>His smile softens as Harry brings his eyes from the grass to look up at him through his eyelashes, and his heart skips a beat.</p><p>He's hit with the sudden overwhelming urge to pin Harry down and make out with him but he ignores it. That's not what he came out here to do.</p><p>"How much has Ron told you about my childhood?" Lucian suddenly asks. Though Harry looks baffled at the seemingly random question, it's anything but.</p><p>"Uhm, not much..."</p><p>"What about my dad?"</p><p>Harry starts looking uncomfortable, "the only thing Ron told me is that he's not around anymore."</p><p>Awh, they made it sound like he's dead. Wishful thinking.</p><p>"He's not dead, Harry," he laughs, "my father left when I was three years old. Wanna know why?"</p><p>"Oh... why?"</p><p>His grin stretches wide, "well, Harry, long story short, my dear father tried to kill me."</p><p>Harry's eyes widen, "what?"</p><p>"Mhmm, he's a Death Eater. A loyal one, at that. Theodore Olsen is his name. After Voldemort died, he was a right mess and desperate to get his master back, so he decided, hey, why not revive him from the dead with a dark ritual?"</p><p>Harry gaped at him, looking somewhat nervous, "your father tried to kill you? but how would that bring back Voldemort?"</p><p>"Yep, he sure did," Lucian begins, keeping his laughter at bay, "the ritual required sacrifice, but the dumbass didn't read the instructions right. He thought relative meant one of <em>his</em>, rather than one of Voldemort's."</p><p>Harry stares at him in shock and sadness, "that... that's horrible."</p><p>"Sure is, baby, but you don't gotta worry your pretty little mind about it, he got locked up in Azkaban after they realized he wasn't actually dead."</p><p>"What d'you mean?"</p><p>"He was pronounced dead at the scene, because, apparently, they couldn't tell he was alive. But later on, in the morgue, he woke up and caused a huge fuckin scene, screaming something about a part of him missing. Supposedly, the ritual backfired, and, literally, blew up in his face, left him all scarred and shit. <em>Looks like someone cut his face off</em>."</p><p>"Oh..." Harry replies awkwardly, "well, I, uhm... I'm glad he didn't kill you?"</p><p>Lucian snorts, "Thanks, Harry."</p><p>Harry's face goes red and stutters, "n-no, I didn't mean it like that-"</p><p>Lucian covers his mouth with his hand and smiles at him, "breath, doll. It's okay."</p><p>He giggles as Harry narrows his eyes at him and pushes his hand away.</p><p>"Why'd you tell me that?"</p><p>"Because I trust you, Harry."</p><p>"Wh-"</p><p>"And I'd like to think you trust me too."</p><p>Harry blinks at him. "I do-"</p><p>"Do you really?"</p><p>"...yes?"</p><p>"Then why are ya not telling me anything and ignoring me?"</p><p>Harry winces and looks at the ground, awkwardly fumbling with his fingers.</p><p>"Um... I just..."</p><p>Lucian observes him as he searches for the words to say but comes up empty-handed. He looks confused, irritated.</p><p>
  <em>Come on, Harry, where's that Gryffindor spirit-</em>
</p><p>"D-do you like me, Lucian? As in like-like?"</p><p>Lucian snorts, tilting his head, "are we twelve now?"</p><p>Harry glowers at him and goes to stand up but Lucian quickly snatches his wrist and swiftly pulls him onto his lap so he's straddling him.</p><p>Harry's face goes bright red and he stammers something incomprehensible, hands drifting over Lucian's chest and shoulders, unsure of where to place them.</p><p>Lucian wraps his arms around his waist to prevent him from getting up again.</p><p>"Is that why you're avoiding me, doll?"</p><p>"Yes, no- I don't know!" Harry says, exasperated and very much distracted.</p><p>"And yes, I do <em>like-like</em> you," he snickers and Harry glares at him, crossing his arms over his chest with a very adorable pout.</p><p>"Awh, Harry, baby, I'm just messin' with ya." He pulls Harry closer and the blush somehow deepens. "I like you, and I think you like me too."</p><p>Harry seems to be struggling to string a coherent sentence together as he stares a spot on Lucian's chest, unable to maintain eye contact. It was very endearing.</p><p>One of Lucian's hands slides up into Harry's hair that had grown out a lot.</p><p>It'd make it easier to pull on, he supposes.</p><p>Eventually, Harry nods meekly, still looking incredibly grumpy.</p><p>"Do you, Harry? I wanna hear it from you." He knew he was pushing him, but that's what he did best.</p><p>Harry glowers at him, moving to grip Lucian's shoulders.</p><p>"...I think so..." he finally grumbles.</p><p>Lucian smiles widely to press a kiss to the spot beneath Harry's ear and murmurs as his grip on Harry's hair tightens.</p><p>
  <em>"Good boy."</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>It was barely even seven in the morning when Julian called him, demanding that Lucian come to his house. </b>He sounded annoyed and frazzled, which made Lucian's curiosity burn.</p><p>It was the only thing that actually dragged him out of his bed to go find out what was going on.</p><p>When he arrives, he comes upon the scene of Julian and Jazmine <em>screaming </em>at each other by the road as the Gibbs family watch from the front porch, looking worried.</p><p>Julian's standing with his back to the road and Jazmine's standing in front of him.</p><p>He stands still for several moments, blinking, trying to process what he is witnessing. He isn't quite sure whether he wanted to go fix their problems or just stand there and laugh.</p><p>He supposes what drives him to go down there is the fact that the situation he is now in was so <em>rare</em>. Julian and Jazmine never fought, Lucian can't even recall a time he's seen them argue. </p><p>Well, not that this could be called arguing, it was more, 'we're about to rip each other's throats out.'</p><p>Lucian glances back at the family on the porch before dramatically sighing and making his way down the hill and towards the screaming pair. He kind of wishes he went to the parents first to ask them what was going on, but he knew if he waited any longer, they might just kill each other. Plus he was never known for thinking things through.</p><p>The yelling gets louder as he nears them and he feels a flare of annoyance that makes his eye twitch.</p><p>"-YOU AREN'T FUCKING <em>LISTENING </em>TO ME-" Jazmine's voice is loud and booming, whereas Julian seems to be struggling to get his voice to match her level.</p><p>"WHY WOULD I!? ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SPOUTING BULLSHIT!"</p><p>Lucian blinks and stands a good five metres away from them, waiting to see if they would notice him.</p><p>"THE. MEDS. AREN'T. FUCKING. HELPING. ME!" Jazmine jabs a finger into his chest with each word and Lucian finally understands what they're arguing about.</p><p>"THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, JAZZY! THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LITERALLY MADE TO DO!"</p><p>"Guys-" he tries to intervene but is immediately drowned out by the screaming. He sighs and runs his hands down his face.</p><p>"WELL, THEY AREN'T, JULIAN! WHY. WON'T. YOU. LISTEN. TO. ME!?"</p><p>The next few seconds fly by so fast he barely has the time to breathe before it happens.</p><p>As she finishes speaking, she suddenly shoves Julian backwards onto the road, then the truck comes out of nowhere.</p><p>It feels like he's been stabbed in the chest as Jazzy lets out a scream of shock when the truck slams into him. Lucian feels a wave of cold numbness crash over him.</p><p>He can't breathe, he can't breathe,<em> he can't breathe.</em></p><p>His feet are moving without him realizing, every sound around him is muffled and distant as he starts sprinting over to where his best friend lay motionless and bleeding on the road.</p><p>He can barely hear Jazmine's grief-stricken wails from behind him as he drops to his knees next to Julian, rolling him onto his back so he can see his face.</p><p>There's blood leaking from a wound on his head and as he looks down at Julian's leg, he genuinely feels sick upon seeing the bone sticking out of his flesh.</p><p>"D-don't..." he can barely get the words out, he feels numb, he finally manages to breathe out to whoever's listening, "don't let Kaden come over, keep him away."</p><p>Within seconds, a distraught, sobbing Jazmine falls to her knees beside him as he whips out his wand. She cradles his head in her hands as loud, heart-wrenching sobs tear their way up her throat.</p><p>He can hear a man in the distance crying, apologizing profusely.</p><p>"No... no... no..." she croaks out and Lucian tries his best to ignore her, instead focusing on stemming the bleeding and healing what he can without making it suspicious. He also ignores the gut-twisting <em>fear </em>seeping down his spine in cold, unforgiving waves.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Julian... I didn't mean it... I'm so sorry... please, please don't leave me..." Jazmine sobs into his chest.</p><p>His hands are trembling and he tucks the wand away just before Mahin and Alexandra reach them. Mahin's on the phone, calling an ambulance and Alexandra is clutching Jazmine to her chest as Lucian holds his hand against the wound on his head to try and stop the bleeding.</p><p>He isn't <em>thinking </em>straight, he can't focus. His eyes keep going back to the blank, empty stare in Julian's eyes.</p><p>Julian is not dead. He can't be.</p><p>A sob claws its way up his throat and he forces it back, pressing his lips together.</p><p>The sound of that man crying catches his attention again and he pauses, tensing. His dark, tear-filled gaze slowly lifts from the body of his best friend to land on the truck driver, standing a ways away, trembling and pale.</p><p>Then the anger hits him.</p><p>But before he can act on the violent thoughts filling his head, the sound of an ambulance siren reaches his ears and he clenches his jaw, looking down at Julian again.</p><p>Julian is <em><b>not </b></em>dead.</p><p>Lucian will bring him back himself if he has to.</p><p> </p><p>--------------</p><p> </p><p>"We don't know if he will make it, but he is stable for the time being." The Healer informs them after several long, exhausting hours. It's late in the evening and Lucian is ready to collapse.</p><p>The Weasley's along with Harry and Hermione, upon hearing what happened, rushed to St. Mungos. Arthur and Molly were quite close to Alexandra and Mahin, so they felt personally affected by this. Harry and Hermione joined them because they couldn't be left at the Burrow alone.</p><p>Vivian had arrived in tears and trembling violently.</p><p>"So, what? he's in a <em>coma</em>?" Lucian snaps at him, standing up. Harry and Hermione are watching him with wide eyes, seeing a completely new side to the boy.</p><p>"A magically induced one, yes."</p><p>"You put him in a fucking coma!?" Lucian goes to step towards him but Fred and George, as though sensing what he was about to do, grab him and pull him back, linking their arms with his. He swears he sees the doctor </p><p>"It was the only thing we could do to stop him from passing," the Healer informs him, looking sympathetic. It infuriated Lucian. He's damn near ready to throw away everything he accomplished with his 'hobby' just to feel the satisfaction of tearing the Healer apart with his bare hands.</p><p>"<em>Get off me,</em>" he snarls at the twins, shoving them off. They quickly let go and step back and hold them hands up in defence.</p><p>He glances over at Jazmine, who has been silent the entire time. She's in the corner of the room, curled into a ball with her head between her knees. She's still shaking and he can sometimes hear her crying.</p><p>She's absolutely shattered.</p><p>He frowns. If Julian doesn't make it... Jazmine would have killed him. He isn't mad at her. Not at all. But he isn't sure why. He's more worried about how this is going to affect her.</p><p>Lucian spots Mahin and Alexandra comforting a distraught Magnus Keller and scowls.</p><p>Magnus has no right being there, has no right looking so upset and concerned over the son he doesn't care about.</p><p>He storms over to Harry and his friends and sits down beside Harry, burying his head in his hands.</p><p>It's silent for several moments.</p><p>"...Lucian?" Hermione calls out hesitantly.</p><p>He glances up at her with a blank expression.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>She looks surprised and concerned. "Are... are you crying?"</p><p>Lucian blinks and wipes his cheek and his hand came away wet. Huh, so he is.</p><p>"Sure am," he deadpans.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Ron asks awkwardly.</p><p>Something inside of Lucian snaps, then. A shocking, sharp burst of laughter startles everyone in the room.</p><p>Everyone turns to stare as Lucian buries his face in his hands as loud heaving sobs intertwine with his manic, disturbing cackles.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter Eleven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"You are losing my interest, and that is very dangerous."</em>
</p><p>Lucian's words ring through her mind and her skin tingles. Her fingers twitch. There's an uncomfortable lurch in her stomach and her blank expression almost cracks as her throat tightens, tears threatening to fill her dark eyes.</p><p>She brings her gaze down to the cold mug of chamomile tea clutched in her hands. </p><p>He had left hours ago, but Vivian had yet to move from her place on the armchair.</p><p>Vivian sips the chilled tea and her lips almost curl at the foul taste.</p><p>She's never been fond of cold tea, unlike Lucian. Though Vivian thinks he drinks it just to jar people.</p><p>She places the cup down on the petite coffee table and slowly lifts herself from the couch, wincing at the stiffness in her joints. Staying still for so long is unwise, but she is used to it.</p><p>The Vilhemsen Manor is filled with the sound of creaking and the howling wind. The house is old, having been lived in for centuries and kept alive by ancient, forgotten magic.</p><p>She stares into the roaring fireplace that cast dancing shadows across the cream coloured walls.</p><p>Lucian is losing interest, and she may die soon.</p><p>Lucian hadn't been specific in what he would do, but Vivian wasn't daft enough to think he'll merely stop talking to her. No, he is too deranged and twisted for that.</p><p>While she isn't exactly afraid of <em>him</em>, she's afraid of disappointing him so terribly he resorts to killing her.</p><p>Twinges of fear twist her empty stomach and she sighs softly.</p><p>A thump above her catches her attention and she slowly drags her eyes upward to the abnormally high ceiling, the fire casting an eery, orange glow over her.</p><p>Vivian gracefully lifts herself from the couch and noiselessly walks up the old, rickety stairs. Her fingertips graze the cold railing as she ascends into the darkness before her.</p><p>After having grown up locked in the dark, her eyes are accustomed to it, so she can almost see clearly in the inky blackness. That, and she's memorised her manor, so she can navigate it successfully even in the darkest of nights.</p><p>When she reaches the third floor, the scent of something rotten reaches her and she slightly scrunches her nose up. It appears the spells have worn off. How... unfortunate. She will have to rectify this immediately.</p><p>Right after she deals with the problem making noise.</p><p>Vivian drags her long nails across the wall as she slowly walks towards one of the spare bedrooms and the sound of muffled sobbing starts up.</p><p>She opens the door and the crying grows louder and clearer.</p><p>"You are quite loud for a girl who is supposed to be dead."</p><p>Danielle Harrington's wide, teary eyes snap to her and she screams, pushing herself further into the corner of the room. She's curled into a small ball and trembling terribly. Dry blood caked her body. The marks Vivian had to heal are long gone, leaving a fresh canvas behind.</p><p>Unlike Lucian, she doesn't like her work being observed by others. She's content with knowing what she's done and what she's capable of. While she... somewhat admires Lucian's methods, hers will not get her caught.</p><p>However, as she often as she tries to drill precautions and rationality into Lucian's scrambled mind, she really couldn't resist having something around to hurt when she's in a bad mood.</p><p>Lucian likes attention, crowds. If it weren't for Vivian keeping him level-headed, she knew he would be happily showing his talents to the world. But as much as he likes to think, he is not invincible, and he would be swiftly apprehended and kept in the Janus Thickey ward in St. Mungos until he was of age, then he would rot in Azkaban for the rest of his days, alongside his father.</p><p>"Please... please, not again..." Danielle sobs, hiccuping.</p><p>Vivian is in a foul mood today.</p><p>"Come here. She simply instructs, ignoring her.</p><p>"No! please no!"</p><p>"<em>Now</em>." With a flick of her wand, the small child is dragged across the floor and forced into a kneeling position.</p><p>Her once soft and luxurious blonde hair is now oily and stringy from the lack of proper care. Her pretty brown eyes are bloodshot and dull. The lovely tint of pink to her cheeks that had made Vivian smile is long gone. Danielle just appears... dull. As if she was a shell of the child she once was.</p><p>Vivian thinks about how Lucian would fix this by cutting her open and painting her ashen skin red with her own blood, ripping screams from her torn throat.</p><p>He adores colours and despises anything in black and white, claiming it is dull and boring.</p><p>As the sobbing and screaming increases, so does her migraine. Her jaw clenches and she casts a silencing charm over the crying child, finally quieting the room. She prefers her victims to be quiet, unlike Lucian who seems to get off on people screaming in pain.</p><p>She sighs and massages her temples, attempting to ease her migraine.</p><p>She needs to stop thinking about Lucian while she is working.</p><p>Vivian opens her eyes and focuses on the girl before her, inaudible sobs wracking her body as tears stream down her sunken cheeks.</p><p>When she pulls out her wand, Danielle begins to hyperventilate, memories of their last encounter still fresh on her fragile mind.</p><p>"<em>Lacerandianto</em>."</p><p>Danielle's eyes widen and she thrashes violently, mouth wide open in a silent scream.</p><p>Vivian sighs and tilts her head, observing the reactions. She has not used this spell before, so she is curious to see how it turns out.</p><p>"What you are experiencing right now is a spell invented by my great grandfather. It gives the sensation of having a blunt knife tearing your skin. From the inside. As though the blade is attempting to escape your body. It's effective, but, as with everything, it had its flaws so I... <em>modified </em>it, you can say."</p><p>She kneels in front of her and gently lifts Danielle's torn shirt, revealing something stretching her skin and twisting around from the outside.</p><p>When Danielle looks down, Vivian swears she can almost hear the screaming.</p><p>Vivian watches in rapt fascination, wishing she had Lucian there to enjoy it with her. She knows he would absolutely adore this spell, but he can't know Danielle is alive. Vivian wouldn't live to see daylight if he found out.</p><p>She isn't <em>supposed </em>to be alive.</p><p>Three days after Vivian had disposed of her body in the sewer system, the girl had turned up on her doorstep, sobbing and bleeding.</p><p>Vivian had to solve three problems after that.</p><p>Snapping out of her thoughts, she realizes Danielle has collapsed onto her side, passed out from either pure exhaustion or pain. She isn't too sure.</p><p>Pursing her lips, Vivian stands and peers down at the broken girl, disappointed that she had given up so fast. She usually lasts longer. Perhaps the spell was too intense for her to handle for long periods of time. That, or she is still worn out from their last session.</p><p>Vivian recasts the privacy spells on the room. She hasn't quite yet discovered what her ancestors used to protect their manor, but she is still looking for the book in which she knows contains the spells used.</p><p>Her parents had told her a tale when she was younger; a tale of their great ancestors building this manor upon the bones of their enemies.</p><p>It was all rather intense and dramatic, but it has proven useful to her ambitions. If her ancestors were as powerful and brilliant as her parents claimed, they would prove useful to her, as will their books once she finds them.</p><p>Speaking of her parents...</p><p>Vivian leaves the room and locks the door before walking down to the end of the long, pitch-black hallway. At the end stood the door to her parents' bedroom.</p><p>She opens it and the scent of decay hits her full force. She almost retches at the strong stench but manages to keep it down. The sound of flies buzzing around makes her sigh in annoyance.</p><p>Vivian thought she closed the windows.</p><p>"Lumos," She murmurs, still standing in the doorway.</p><p>The end of her wand lights up, revealing the decaying bodies of her parents on their bed.</p><p>She stares at them blankly, no longer feeling the panic she did when she first dealt with them. It was a necessary precaution; her parents would never understand why she does this, she had to get rid of them before they told someone.</p><p>It had been quick work; both of them had been too shocked to react quickly enough to stop her.</p><p>Vivian supposes coming upon their daughter standing over the battered, broken body of a child would be quite shocking.</p><p>Their bodies have dark blue, black, and green patches of flesh and their eyes are glazed over with white that look like cataracts and the sockets are sunken deep. Hairy white fungus is growing on the corners of their mouths. Even under the thick duvet, she can see the bloated stomachs, ready to burst. The sight of maggots crawling across their faces is enough to almost make her gag again but she forces it down.</p><p>Volkhardt and Aline have been dead for weeks. </p><p>Vivian quickly leaves the room and closes the door, casting more protection spells on the room.</p><p>She makes her way back to the kitchen on the first floor, planning on remaking her chamomile tea.</p><p>Then there's a knock at the front door.</p><p>Vivian stills, staring unblinkingly at the kettle, heart racing in her chest. She slowly drags her eyes in the direction of the front door, face blank.</p><p>Steeling herself, she silently tiptoes over to the large bay windows to peer outside. She can't see who it is, but it's extremely late at night, so no one should be here right now. For a second, she thinks it may be Lucian, but she can usually hear him by now. Whoever's on the other side of the door is completely silent.</p><p>Then the thought of Aurors finally catching Lucian and then coming after her crosses her mind and she bites her lip, thinking hard.</p><p>She then casts a non-verbal temporary memory charm on herself, targetting memories of killing her parents and everything Lucian has done.</p><p>Though Lucian would drag her down with him, she would never do the same to him.</p><p>Vivian then feels a strange, cold sensation wash over and her mind goes blank.</p><p>Blinking, she peers around the living room, confused.</p><p>Then comes the knock on the door, she startles and glances at the grandfather clock, seeing it is well past ten p.m.</p><p>She slowly opens the front door, and Albus Dumbledore is waiting on the other side.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter Twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Though Vivian is experiencing a peculiar sense of discomfort and anxiety, which she doesn't understand, Dumbledore appears perfectly content, if a bit tense.</b> His blue eyes twinkled in the deep, orange glow of the fire.</p><p>"I apologize for coming so late, Miss Vilhelmsen, I would not have done so if this was not of the utmost importance."</p><p>She observes him over the rim of her teacup, "It's alright, professor. What's happening?"</p><p>Dumbledore studies her for a few tense moments, though Vivian can't figure out why she feels so... nervous.</p><p>"When did you last speak with your parents, Miss-"</p><p>"Please, call me Vivian."</p><p>Dumbledore nods and gives her a small smile.</p><p>"Vivian, when did you last speak with your parents?"</p><p>"Not since they left," she admits, sipping her tea. "We don't often exchange letters when they're travelling, and only if it's important."</p><p>Vivian swears she witnesses a hint of sadness flash on Dumbledore's withered face but it's gone as soon as it arrived.</p><p>"That is quite concerning, as I had tried contacting them in regards to your grades, but the letter was sent back, saying your parents had never checked into the hotel they were planning on staying in."</p><p>Vivian's heart skips a beat and her stomach drops as she leans towards Dumbledore, "What? What do you mean?"</p><p>Dumbledore nods gravely. "I had hoped they ended up deciding to end their trip rather early and returned home to you, but it appears I was wrong."</p><p>"Yes. Quite," Vivian murmurs, leaning back in her seat, sipping her tea and staring off into nothing.</p><p>Why hadn't her parents contacted her if they were travelling elsewhere? Vivian thinks that would constitute as important. But it is peculiar that they supposedly never even made a reservation at the hotel, let alone <em>arrived</em>.</p><p>Vivian can't think of anything her parents had said to her that would suggest they were going elsewhere, puzzling her further. In fact, she can't quite remember most of their conversations.</p><p>"I do not intend to alarm you, Vivian, I'm certain your parents are just fine," Dumbledore assures her. "Perhaps they got distracted by the Bouncing Poinsettias, I heard they're quite extraordinary to witness this time of year."</p><p>Vivian hums, fingers tightening on her cup. "Perhaps..."</p><p> </p><p>------------</p><p> </p><p>"Are you really gonna eat that entire turkey?" Lucian says, smiling, across the table, watching with his chin propped on his fist.</p><p>It's the day of the Quidditch world cup, and the Weasley household is going just about mad, waking them up before the sun has even risen to prepare.</p><p>Ginny stops and stares at him as if he just offended their great ancestors.</p><p>"Obviously, you twit! Do you think we got mum to cook it just to stare it down?" Ginny retorts. She then proceeds to rip one of the legs off and bite into it savagely, maintaining eye contact with him the entire time.</p><p>Lucian laughs and throws a balled-up napkin at her, hitting her square in the face. </p><p>"You look mad."</p><p>"It must run in the family."</p><p>Lucian laughs just a little too hard, earning a strange look from Ginny and Ron who had just entered the room.</p><p>"What? Aren't I supposed to be mad, <em>Ginny</em>?"</p><p>She makes a face at him and continues scoffing down her food.</p><p>Ron sits down next to him and as a greeting, yawns sleepily at him. Lucian snorts and ruffles his orange hair, making the poofy mess get even worse.</p><p>Ron narrows his eyes at him but is too tired to argue, so instead, he digs into a plate of pancakes.</p><p>Slowly, it must register in Ron's dazed mind that Ginny is attempting to eat an entire turkey by herself and slowly lifts his head to peer at her.</p><p>"Why are you eating turkey for breakfast?" He asks through a mouthful of food.</p><p>"Why are you not?"</p><p>Ron's eyes narrow even further and Lucian nearly thinks he's closed his eyes, then he nods morosely. "Fair enough."</p><p>Lucian notes with some disappointment that Harry never followed Ron downstairs.</p><p>"Is Harry still asleep?" He asks him.</p><p>"Uh huh," Ron grumbles, hunching over his bowl. He is definitely not a morning person.</p><p>A grin stretches his lips and he stands up, making his way over to the staircase.</p><p>"Where are you going?" Ginny calls over her shoulder.</p><p>"I'm gonna wake Harry up, did you not just listen to what Ron said?"</p><p>"I tend to block out idiocy."</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>Lucian chuckles to himself and jogs up the stairs, skipping over to Ron's room, which Harry was sharing with him.</p><p>Coming to a sharp stop in front of the door, he decides to not go barreling through to scare the poor boy awake. Instead, he gently opens it and sticks his head into the room, spotting a small mound of blankets on the second bed.</p><p>Lucian grins and tiptoes inside, softly closing the door behind him. He makes his way over to the bed and sits on the side, quietly giggling at the mop of messy black hair sticking out from under the blankets.</p><p>He pulls it down slightly to reveal Harry's face. His face is smoothed out and he looks relaxed; a rarity.</p><p>He suddenly pokes Harry's cheek, causing him to startle, eyes opening. He's peering around confused until his half-open, tired eyes land on him and he smiles softly.</p><p>"Oops," Lucian whispered.</p><p>"Hi," Harry whispers back, voice cracking.</p><p>He blushes at the voice crack, making Lucian laugh.</p><p>He runs his fingers through his soft hair and almost snorts at the way Harry subconsciously leans into his touch.</p><p>Lucian suddenly stands up, ripping the blankets off him, making the boy yelp at the sudden chill.</p><p>"It's time to get up!" He sing-songs cheerfully, grabbing Harry's hand and yanking him off the bed and into his chest.</p><p>Yelping, Harry collides with his chest, stumbling along the way. He awkwardly wraps his arms around Lucian's waist as he continues singing obnoxiously about the Quidditch World Cup.</p><p>Lucian can't help but feel excited about the whole event now that he knows Harry will be there with him. He grins and hugs him tighter, making Harry squeak as he suddenly finds it hard to breathe.</p><p>On a whim, Lucian leans down and kisses Harry on the cheek.</p><p>The boy freezes and when Lucian steps back, his fingers are brushing over his bright red cheeks and his sparkling green eyes are wide, now fully awake.</p><p>"W-What-"</p><p>Lucian cuts him off by intertwining and pulling him out of the room.</p><p>"C'mon, sweetheart, we gotta get you ready for today!"</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter Thirteen</h2></a>
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    <p><b>It's been over a week since Julian was placed in a coma and it's beginning to irritate Lucian.</b> He keeps wringing his hands and pacing, unable to keep his thoughts from trailing back to his friend. The peculiar and unwelcome twisting in his gut both perplexed and unnerved him.</p><p>Lucian has often thought about how he would react if one of his friends died and due to his apathetic and violent-minded nature, he's always been convinced he would be uncaring, though annoyed at the sudden loss of company. But now that he's been faced with the possibility of losing someone, he's, much to his displeasure, discovered that apathy and slight amusement are the opposite of what he's feeling.</p><p>He won't be caught dead admitting this aloud, but the only way to describe what he's experiencing is <em>fear</em>.</p><p>Though he's aware fear is a common emotion that everyone feels, he can't remember the last time he's experienced it. What is seen as terrifying to most, only brings forth excitement and joy for him. Lucian just doesn't scare easily, if ever. He knows he must've felt it at some stage, that's common sense, but he simply can't remember it.</p><p>He loathes the way his heart drops and his stomach twists every time his thoughts drift back to Julian; the way his lips purse as his hands clench into fists. The fear is confusing him, therefore bringing forth anger as a way to cope with the strange new emotions. He's read enough Muggle psychology books to understand this, but that doesn't stop the anger. He's aware it happens to some people, commonly known as sociopaths (and psychopaths to the uneducated individuals who confuse the terms), he just never expected it to happen to him.</p><p>Even as he is walking beside Harry at the Quidditch World Cup, an arm casually slung over the boy's thin shoulders as they and Harry's friends venture around the stalls, his thoughts insist on trailing back to Julian. Who is <em>supposed </em>to be there with them, might he add.</p><p>The Healers had originally refused to allow Lucian to visit him, as he isn't family. However, after a few well-placed insinuations that he was more than just a friend to Julian and some crocodile tears, they eventually, albeit hesitantly, allowed him access to Julian's room.</p><p>Lucian has to begrudgingly admit he is grateful because if they told him to leave one more time, he was going to end up cutting someone open. And he doesn't care for Julian quite enough to reveal his true colours to the world just to <em>look </em>at him half-dead in his hospital bed.</p><p>Though, recent discoveries may prove otherwise.</p><p>His grip on Harry subconsciously tightens.</p><p>He wishes Julian would just wake up already, he's growing bored without him.</p><p>Lucian doesn't understand the Healer's reasoning; that he needs to heal naturally. Bullshit. He was hit by a <em>truck</em>, not torn to shreds by some irreversible dark curse. That he would understand. However, something as mundane and weak as a truck... it baffles him. There has to be more to it than that; Harry had all of his bones removed in his arm when he was twelve, and they fixed that overnight. But they can't heal some broken bones? He doesn't believe that for a second.</p><p>Sighing, he realizes he may have to turn to Vivian for assistance. After her last stunt, his trust in her has taken a heavy hit, and he's found himself relying on himself, rather than going to her as he usually does. In hindsight, he's quite foolish for wholeheartedly trusting someone who can think for themselves and can just as easily turn on him.</p><p>Perhaps he's been too kind to her, allowing her to think for herself. It's too great of a risk, what with her already showing signs of betrayal and disloyalty. He just can't risk it.</p><p>Before he can think further on his plans, he's distracted by Harry calling his name. Blinking, Lucian looks down at the boy tucked securely under his arm and he can't stop the smile that stretches his lips.</p><p>"Sorry, doll, did you say something?" Harry's cheeks turn pink.</p><p>Lucian almost laughs as Hermione crosses her arms over her chest, scowling. Ron is too busy speaking with a stall vendor to notice what's happening, marvelling over all the merchandise.</p><p>"Erm, yeah, you were spacing out, we've been calling your name for a bit."</p><p>"Are you alright, Lucian?" Hermione asks, with slightly narrowed eyes.</p><p>He laughs, tilting his head as he stares unblinkingly at her. Though he's looking at her, he's speaking to Harry. His smile splits wider as her eyes narrow further. "I've just got a lot on my mind right now. What were you saying, Harry?"</p><p>"I'm buying Omnioculars for us, I reckon you want one? You'll be able to watch the match properly, and I want you to like it." Harry says with the utmost sincerity.</p><p>He smiles, laughter bubbling in his throat. He bites it back. "You're sweet, but I can buy my own, doll."</p><p>Harry looks down, grumbling as his ears turn pink, "I know, but I thought I'd be nice-"</p><p>"It's fine, Harry, they're expensive," Lucian says, glancing at the price tags, "Wouldn't want ya spending forty galleons and bleeding you- your Gringotts account dry."</p><p>Though he looks like he wants to argue further, Harry relents and only buys three Omnioculars, while Lucian purchases his own. He doesn't plan on using it, but he can keep it as a souvenir, he supposes, as he doesn't think he'll be attending any more of these events with Harry.</p><p>"We're going to go find a tap, are you coming?" Ron asks after the group steps away from the stalls, money pouches considerably lighter.</p><p>Lucian shakes his head. "I'm gonna go find Jazmine, she's here with Julian's dad."</p><p>Ron's face scrunches up in confusion. "Why's she here with Magnus if Julian's not coming?"</p><p>Lucian shrugs, already scanning the crowd. "World Cup tickets are expensive, Ronnie, maybe he didn't wanna be here alone, I don't know."</p><p>Before Ron can complain about the nickname, Harry interjects. "You're leaving?"</p><p>Upon noticing the dejected tone in his voice, Lucian turns his full attention on Harry and sees the disappointment on his face as his bright green eyes peer up at him, Lucian's heart does a funny little skip.</p><p>"Not for long." He smiles as comfortingly as he can. "I'll meet you back at the tent, alright?"</p><p>Spotting someone familiar in the crowd further ahead, Lucian grins and leans down, planting a kiss on Harry's cheek before telling him he'll see them later. Then he takes off in the direction of his friend, dodging through the crowd as to avoid knocking anyone over, even though he wishes he could just barrel through the crowd without repercussions. But if he plans on surprise-attacking her, he has to be subtle.</p><p>She's facing away from him, looking down at something in her hands, and just before he pounces, he hears her speak.</p><p>"I will suffocate you if you do that, Lucian," Jazmine says without looking up or turning. She likely saw him before he saw her, explaining how she knew he was there.</p><p>He stops in his tracks, thinks for a second, then huffs and wraps his arms around Jazmine's shoulders, pulling her against his chest and kissing her cheek (though it was hard to get past the mane of curls), ignoring her complaints.</p><p>"Hiya, Jazzy," he giggles, squeezing her a little too hard.</p><p>"H-Hi, Lucian, I can't-"</p><p>He laughs and lets go of her, moving to stand in front of her, watching as she gasps for air while glaring at him, clutching something to her chest.</p><p>Lucian can't help but feel surprised, after all, he wasn't expecting her to actually show up, as she was supposed to be attending the event with Julian and his deadbeat father, but it seems he was wrong. Upon glancing around at the faces in the crowd, he's relieved to see that Magnus is nowhere to be seen.</p><p>"You're an asshole, you know that?"</p><p>Lucian only winks at her in response before turning his attention to the thing in her hands.</p><p>"What's that?" He asks, gesturing to it.</p><p>Jazmine quickly hides it behind her back, averting her gaze. "Nothing..."</p><p>Lucian laughs and before she can react, he steps in close and reaches around her, snatching the object out of her hands, clutching it in his closed fist.</p><p>"Hey!" Jazmine protests, trying to snatch it back but Lucian holds it above his head, way out of her reach. She swears at him and tries jumping up to reach it. "Lucian! Stop it! Just give it back!"</p><p>He laughs at her attempts and glances up, opening his hand a bit, only to see something that makes his smile fade slightly.</p><p>It's a ball of tissues soaked in blood.</p><p>Lucian stares, perplexed, at the tissues as Jazmine falls silent and steps back, crossing her arms and scowling at the ground. He glances at her, brows furrowed as he lowers his arm. He brings his attention back to his hand.</p><p>"Jazmine..." his voice trails off, bewilderment clear on his face. "What's this?"</p><p>Jazmine rolls her eyes and snatches the tissues back, shoving them into her pocket. "I had a nose bleed, Lucian. Kaden accidentally whacked me in the face before. You know how he gets when he's excited."</p><p>Lucian laughs, grabbing her arm and pulling her into his side, throwing his arm over her shoulders and guiding her along the path with him. Jazmine slides a tentative arm around his waist.</p><p>His friends have an awful habit of lying to him.</p><p>"Yeah, that's true. Remember when he got me in the eye last year?"</p><p>She gives him a shaky smile. "Yeah..."</p>
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